


Sharp Ears, Fluffy Tails

by timecap_cell



Category: Original Work
Genre: Anal Sex, Animal Ears, Animal Traits, Anthropomorphic, Fluff, Homophobic Language, Kemonomimi, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Minor Character Death, Oral Sex, Rape/Non-con Elements, Unresolved Sexual Tension, Vaginal Sex, Violence, incestuous rabbits, minor homophobia
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2019-02-26
Packaged: 2019-03-03 12:55:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 59
Words: 212,483
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13341699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timecap_cell/pseuds/timecap_cell
Summary: He wanted to get a pet; he got something more.





	1. Unusual Petshop

 

It was his love for animals that got him into this mess.

The flier he had found trampled on the ground said something about needing teachers to raise cute animals.  Nikko didn't get the connection, assumed it was some kind of advertising gimmick, because since when was being a teacher a requirement for owning a pet?  But the fact that he _was_ a teacher and had just moved into an apartment building that allowed animals had his fingers tapping the address on the flier into his tablet's map application.

The office he was led to was clean, professional, and he was greeted by an attractive man in a sharp suit whose slicked-back hair was far too white for his young face and his eyes red enough to make Nikko take a step back before the word 'albino' popped into his head.  The man introduced himself as Jack, and asked Nikko if he was there about the teaching position.

"Well, I really like animals, so..."  It was all Nikko could think of to say.  People he didn't know made him nervous anyway, and he was still a little confused.

Jack's smile showed slightly buck teeth and helped quite a bit to relieve nerves.  "That's perfect.  We'll get the process started, and if all goes well, we should be able to match you with a student today.  Please follow me."

He was shown to a small interview room in shades of white and blue.  Professional, though slightly clinical.  A single potted plant was in a corner near the door, a plain desk and chairs across the way.  Jack handed him an application, a pen, and a thick manual with the words 'Caring For Your Student' written across the front, then left the room for a moment.

Nikko put the manual aside.  He'd had pets as a kid, and all of them had lived long, happy lives.  He knew how to care for animals already, so he focused instead on the application.  The paper in front of him seemed as much an application for a job as it was for a pet adoption.  It asked about his teaching experience and any credentials, as well as references and a space to write why he was interested in the position.  Nikko wrote again that he loved animals and wanted a companion, that he was willing to participate in any necessary training programs, and looked forward to raising a pet with care.

When Jack returned, he had a clipboard and more papers, and Nikko was surprised at just how many applications were needed to adopt a dog or cat.

"Oh, you're an actual teacher," Jack commented as he looked over the paperwork.

"Yeah, I teach fifth grade over at Shochu Elementary."

"That's perfect."  Jack's polite smile turned up.  "You must have a lot of patience, dealing with children every day."

Nikko returned with a soft chuckle.  "Yes.  It's both a challenging and rewarding career."

"What's your living situation like?"

"I'm currently single and live alone.  I guess... that's part of the reason why I'm here."  He could feel his cheeks warm at the admission.  "It would be nice to have _someone_ to come home to."

Jack nodded, glancing at the application.  "Your address is an apartment building.  Do you have enough room for your student to have his or her own space?"

It took a brief moment for Nikko to connect 'student' with the animal he would get.  Their gimmick – as if pet adoption needed it.  "Yeah, there should be enough space."  It wasn't like he was getting an elephant.

"How many rooms are there?"

"Two," came the slow answer.

"Excellent."

There were many more questions – a full-on interview that included whether or not he had a criminal history and if he was willing to submit to a background check – and by the time Jack declared that everything checked out and looked good, Nikko was exhausted.

"Then the last thing is to match you with a student," Jack explained as he attached yet another paper to his clipboard.  "We have students in the building right now, so depending on your preferences, you could take someone home today."

Nikko perked, sitting up straighter, energy returning with excitement.  "Sounds great."

"We have several species available.  Did you have anything particular in mind?"

"Nothing too big," Nikko answered.  "What are my options?"

"There are some cats and rabbits around if you want someone small, or a dog or fox if you're willing to go a little bit larger."  Then Jack's red eyes darted over Nikko's body.  "A wolf might be a bit difficult..."

Nikko's eyes shot open wide, too shocked to even note the jab at his stature.  "Wolf!?  People can have wolves!?"

"Wolves are one of the species approved for this program.  They take well to the teaching."

"Sounds dangerous..."

The polite smile didn't falter.  "So, what would you prefer?"

"I...  I like foxes," Nikko answered eventually, still dazed and questioning exactly what he was getting himself into.

"Brilliant."  Jack checked a few things off on his form.  "Male or female?"

"Anything is okay."

"Temperament?"

After a moment of thought, Nikko answered with "Gentle, I guess.  Someone I can relax with."

Smile still in place, Jack replied "I understand" as he wrote a few comments on his clipboard.  Then he fell silent for a while, reading over the papers before him, before finally nodding once and looking back up at Nikko.  "I have someone in mind, someone I think you'll like.  He's a fennec, though a bit taller than most.  And he's very sweet.  Would you like to meet him?"

"Yeah," Nikko said, excitement surging through him.  He adored fennecs, his favorite of foxes; their oversized ears and tiny noses had always charmed him.  "That would be great."

"I'm glad."  Jack's smile brightened, turning two notches more sincere, and he stood up.  "Please wait here.  I'll bring him to you."

Left alone again, Nikko's leg began to bounce in anticipation.  Long ago he had dreamed of owning a fennec fox, but it just never seemed to be the right time.  Strange gimmick or not, he was glad he let instinct bring him to this place.  He would have to buy supplies, some cute food bowls, perhaps a cage.  He wondered if foxes were okay with leashes; it would be fun taking the little guy for walks around the neighborhood, show him off, maybe catch the attention of that cute veterinarian who lived in the building across the street.

He had just begun to wonder about how long it was taking when the door opened again and Jack returned, this time accompanied by another man.  And though this new man had a rather convincing cosplay going on, with long ears on top of his head and a furry tail trailing behind him, there was no real fox in sight.  A lump of dread began to form in the pit of Nikko's stomach.

"Sorry for the delay," Jack said as he closed the door behind them.  "He was a little nervous, but we got things straightened out."

"I see," Nikko replied carefully.  "So...  Where is he?"

Jack paused for a moment, taken aback it seemed, losing his air of professional confidence for a second before his smile slid back into place.  "He is right here," he answered as he gestured to the man beside him.  "This is your student, if you'll have him."

Nikko looked the strange man over.  He was tall and slim and quite handsome.  His hair was brown, perfectly matching the fox ears on top, and hung in multiple lengths about his face.  His eyes were a striking and unusual yellow color, gentle and timid, but even those were only half as strange as the pair of horns that sprouted from his head, just in front of the ears, black and curling in a wave backwards.

"That's not a fox," Nikko finally said.

Jack looked to the man, whose eyes cast to the floor, looking as though his whole world had just been crushed.  "I know he's bigger than expected and there is a reason for that, but I assure you he _is_ a fox."

"N-No..."  Nikko stood slowly, wanting out.  Wanting away from these people.  "That's-  This is-  Is this-?"  He backed away several steps, then his voice dropped to a whisper.  "Is this a sex thing?"

Jack's brows furrowed.  "Heavens, no!  In fact, sexual relations with the students are expressly _forbidden_.  Didn't you read the rules listed in the guide?"  He gestured an elegant hand toward the care manual on the desk – the one Nikko had pushed aside and ignored.

"I-  Err...  I hadn't gotten to that yet."

Understanding dawned, and Jack huffed a sigh as if this had happened far too many times.  "You don't know what we do here, do you?"

"I thought it was regular pet adoption, but now I think I was wrong."

"You were wrong," Jack replied, his smile this time indulgent.

"So is it some kind of human trafficking?  Slave trade?"

"Far from it," Jack answered.  "We are a research company.  Our scientists have been working with animal DNA for decades, attempting to mix traits of various animals with marginal success.  Though it was only when they mixed animals with humans that things got... interesting."

Nikko glanced at the man- fox- man- thing again.  His lip was trembling and there were tears in the corners of his eyes.  It was almost heartbreaking how sad and pathetic he looked.

"It's extremely painful for them," Jack continued, subdued.  "And once they gain language, many of them ask to be destroyed."  He looked as though it hurt him to say it, and he paused for a moment.  When he spoke again, though, his voice was stronger.  "But some of them ask to live.  They are the strong ones; the resilient.  They complete the process until they have almost completely human bodies, as you can see.  And then..."

"And then?"

"Well, that's where you come in."

"Me?"

"Yes."  Then Jack put his hand on the other man's head, scratching behind his ears.  The poor guy seemed to relax – just a bit – at the touch, his tail twitching as the long ears flattened.  It really wasn't a costume after all.  "They have these bodies, but they're not _human_.  They don't know how to live or act in human society.  They can't survive on their own, until someone shows them how.  So we recruit teachers to give them the proper guidance.  It's all there in the care guide."

"What happens when they've learned how to be human?"

"They integrate into society."  The smile Jack held tilted up, buck teeth appearing from behind his pink lips.  "You may have even seen some in your daily life.  They get very good at assimilating."

"I fail to see how an animal could..."  He trailed off, dumbstruck, when Jack's slicked-back hair began to move, to lift.  He watched in awe as what he had taken for soft, white hair stood tall, revealing instead a pair of long rabbit ears.  "You're one of them too," Nikko finally said after blinking away his stupor.

"I'm a rabbit," Jack answered with a nod.  "I was one of the first.  My teacher was very kind and patient with me, and now I can exist in society as a human.  I was hoping you were kind as well."

"I am," Nikko insisted softly.

Then Jack seemed to make his move, pushing the fox-man a step forward.  "This one is a bit of a special case.  You see, sometimes our researchers try to mix more than one animal with human DNA.  It usually doesn't work, but sometimes it does, and we end up with special batches.  He is eighty-seven percent fennec fox and ten percent red fox, but also three percent ram, hence his height and the horns.  Because of that, however, it's been difficult to match him with a teacher.  Everyone wants cute pure-breeds, not a mutt."

The fox looked down again, looking pained, looking broken.  His yellow eyes were wells of tears.

"I was hoping," Jack continued.  "As an elementary school teacher, you would have an understanding heart."

For a long time, Nikko just stared.  He had come here for a pet – a little puppy or kitten he could feed and teach tricks.  He came for something that would curl up at his feet at night and lick his face in the morning.  How could he care for a grown man with the mind of an animal?

"If you don't want me..."

Nikko's head shot up when the fox spoke at last.

"I understand..."  He bit his lip, lowered his head, swallowed a sob.

Nikko's heart shattered, and he heard himself say "I'll do it."

The fox's face lit up as he looked back up at Nikko.  His ears perked, standing straight, and his tail began to wag.  "Really!?"

"Yeah."

A bright smile turned to Jack.  "I'm going to have a home!"

And Jack smiled softly back.  "Yes."

The fox turned back to Nikko, so shining and happy he knew he had made the right choice.  "Than-  _Yiff_."  He put a hand to his mouth, blush covering his cheeks, and he was so cute Nikko thought he might die.  But with tears in his eyes, the fox managed to say "Thank you."

"It's...  It's my pleasure."  So this was happening.  "What do I have to do?"

"Just sign the contract and you'll be on your way," Jack answered, going to the pile of papers on the desk and setting the contract before him.  Then, as Nikko took up the pen and began skimming the document for small details, Jack asked "Have you thought about a name?"

"Name?"  Nikko glanced up with a raised brow.  "He doesn't already have one?"

"While some students do choose their own names, he has decided to let his teacher pick for him."

"What have you been calling him?"

"Fox."

He had lost count how many times he had been struck dumb since walking into this office.  Yes, a real name would have to come.  "I'll think about it."

"Please let us know when you do so we can update our records."

Everything seemed straightforward, so without further ado, Nikko signed the contract, binding the fox-man to him.  He felt like he had just adopted a kid.  It didn't take long after that for Jack to provide him with a copy of the contract, his business card in case there were any questions, and the thick care manual, with strict instructions to actually read it.

Then, before he knew it, Nikko found himself standing on the street with a bright-eyed and literally bushy-tailed fox-man smiling at him like he were his last hope in the world.

"I... guess a leash is out of the question," Nikko said, mostly to himself.

"I'll wear a leash if you want me to."

"That's... all right.  Let's just go home."

"Yes."

And people stared, and people whispered, and people didn't understand why a man with fox ears and horns was walking down the street with a face full of sunshine, but when Nikko saw his student smiling at him like that, for once he couldn't bring himself to care.

It was his love for animals that got him this joy.


	2. In Shining Armor

 

He should have read the care guide from the start, honestly.  From the very first page it explained the whole DNA and genetics research project; he could have saved himself a lot of embarrassment if he hadn't put it aside at that time, four days ago.

The science of DNA splicing was a whole lot further along than people realized.  It must have been, if they were now going to the general public for help raising their experiments.  Yet the company still kept a tight control on things.  Nikko wasn't allowed to teach his student just anything – there was a strict list of topics they could cover, as well as study materials.  Most of it was normal stuff – math, English, reading – and some courses were etiquette related, so the animals could learn to live as humans.  And some of it was way out there and suspicious, like battle strategies and fencing, though Nikko didn't dare question it.  But it again made him wish he had read the manual before signing the contract.  It was a bit disconcerting, not knowing exactly what he was getting into.

On the other hand, as he looked over to his lovely fox who was working so hard on a math problem, he may very well have signed that contract anyway, even if he had known all the little details.

He still didn't have a name for his fox-man.  Nothing had struck him as suitable – nothing that wasn't lame or stupid, anyway.  He thought about a plain name, like Benjamin or Sam, but that didn't really suit the guy, who wasn't even plain amongst his kind.  He thought about cartoonish names, like Mcavity or Frodo, but quickly dismissed those as well.  Nothing seemed to fit, but the fox was waiting patiently for whatever would be bestowed upon him.

"I finished," the fox said as he held up his workbook, yellow eyes shining and hopeful.

"Let me see."  Math wasn't Nikko's forte, but he could at least do long division.

The handwriting was messy, a child's scrawl, but readable.  There were only a few mistakes, easily corrected, and he seemed to understand when Nikko explained where he had gone wrong, smiling with an "I understand!"

"Alright."  Nikko returned the smile, handing the workbook back.  "Have you finished _all_ your homework for the week?"

"Yes!"

"Good boy."  Sometimes it took conscious effort not to coo at the adorable fox.  Though he had only been there four days, he had quickly endeared himself to Nikko.  He was so open and sweet, doing his best to please Nikko, acting as though his life depended on making Nikko proud.  When he couldn't understand his studies, he cried, desperate and concerned, seeming terrified that he would be taken back to the research facility.  They would have to work on that.  "Then tomorrow I'll come straight home after work and we'll go shopping for new clothes."

"Really!?"  His tail twitched, the light brown tip curling back and forth a few times.  Though the red fox part of him was only ten-percent, it showed in his markings, the tips of his ears and tail a lighter shade of brown than the rest.  It was really... really cute.

"Of course."

"Thank you, Nikko!"

It wasn't just as a reward; the fox needed clothes.  He was allowed to keep the outfit he had worn at the facility, a set of plain white coveralls and a t-shirt, but that's all he had.  Nikko tried lending his own clothes, but he was tiny, scrawny, and the fox was large for a fennec.  Even Nikko's loosest t-shirt was tight across the fox's chest, and pants were a lost cause.  So the coveralls were worn during the day, washed once, and the fox slept in his underwear and an extra blanket.

Clothes were necessary, and shopping together sounded like fun besides.

 

 

 

 

Fridays meant no teachers' meetings, decided long ago by the principal because even she just wanted to go home.  So after the last student climbed into his mother's car, Nikko scrambled to get his things together, waved a goodbye to anyone still left in the teachers' room, and rushed home to his apartment and a waiting fox.

The fox was at the door as soon as Nikko came in, listing from one foot to the other.  He smelled clean and his coveralls held the scent of dryer sheets; he was ready to go.

Nikko couldn't help but smile at his anxious pet.  "Just let me change my clothes and we'll go."

"Yes, yes!"  The fox nodded, hopeful smile in place, and he followed Nikko into the bedroom.

That had taken some getting used to.  Whenever Nikko was home, the fox followed him everywhere.  Though the spare room was slowly being converted into a bedroom for the fox, most mornings Nikko woke up to an extra, warm body curled up against him and a fluffy tail flopped over his waist, making him unbearably hot.  If he wasn't actively engaged in his studies, the fox would stand too close to Nikko in the kitchen while he tried to prepare dinner and lunches for the following day.  He had to put his foot down when the fox tried to follow him into the bathroom.

But although he had a human face and body, the fox was still an animal.  Nikko reminded himself of that yet again as he undressed while his student hummed nearby.

It wasn't like he was bothered by the fox's constant presence – that was why he had gone to the facility in the first place, to get a pet to keep him company, though at the time he was expecting an actual small, furry thing.  Sometimes he wondered, though, if it were normal for the students in the program to be so attached to their teachers.  He wondered if all of them were so clingy, or if his student's circumstances made him like that.  Or maybe he was just lonely, sitting around alone all day, every day.  The care guide mentioned the possibility of veteran teachers taking on more students; he would have to look into that further when they had settled in more.

They stopped to eat first; just a pre-shopping snack at Starbucks to keep their energy up.  Not that the fox needed it, given the way he was bouncing in his seat.  They attracted attention, school-girls and businessmen alike staring at the vibrating fox-man.  Nikko sunk in his chair; he was shy by nature, uncomfortable with people looking his way.  His family had been shocked when he had decided to become a teacher, but it was different in the classroom.  In front of his class, his kids, he could follow a mental script that kept him in a comfortable place until the students were no longer strangers, but _his_ class.  That worked for him.

But random people off the street, at a café, in the mall...  They scared him.  Their stares and unhidden whispers about the "costumed weirdo" irritated him, though he didn't have the balls to tell them to mind their own business.

"Hey," he said softly, catching the fox's attention.  "Could you... put your ears down?"

That's what Jack had done at the facility.  Nikko hadn't even known the man was anything other than human with the way his long rabbit ears blended perfectly with his hair when kept down.  If the fox did that, it might attract less attention.  If they could do something with his tail, it would be even better, though there wasn't much to be done about the ram horns.  Perhaps they could pick up a hat for him.

The fox's smile slowly fell, looking slightly hurt and puzzled.  "My ears?"

"Yeah.  You want to be human, right?  If you fold your ears down, you'll look more human."

"Like this?"  His ears folded down, tucking into his hair.  The light brown tips showed a bit, but it wasn't noticeable.

Nikko nodded.  "Yeah, it looks good.  Like a human."

The fox smiled again, his tail curling.  "I'm glad."

"Now to do something about your tail."  He paused, thought, and then asked "Can you fit it into your pant leg?"

"I think so," the fox answered, then reached up to unzip his coveralls.

"Not here!"  Nikko grabbed his hand before the fox stripped completely.  Then he stood, pulling the fox with one hand and taking up his garbage with the other.  "Come on, we'll do it in the bathroom."

They were able to adjust his clothes perfectly, stuffing the long, fluffy tail along the fox's left leg.  There was even a button on the tail-hole of the coveralls to keep it closed, as if the facility had anticipated people doing this exact thing when they designed the outfit.  It helped quite a bit; the only thing remaining to give away what the fox really was being the black horns.  Still, they received fewer stares, fewer whispers, so Nikko counted it as a success.  The only looks they got were from the people who noticed two men coming out of the single person bathroom together, but that was nothing new.  Nikko had endured _those_ particular looks his whole life, being called 'faggot', being called 'twink' because of his size.  And because he was gay.

"Let's go," Nikko said, leading them out of the café.

Shopping with the fox was significantly more fun than expected.  While he did have some preferences, leaning towards casual and – thankfully – cheap styles, he didn't seem to feel too super strongly about anything in particular.  Anything Nikko threw at him, the fox tried on, and he looked good in everything.  It was like playing dress-up with a beautiful doll.  With a deep blush coloring his cheeks, Nikko had to remind himself again that the man clad in tight jeans and a black mesh shirt before him wasn't actually human.

He yanked the dressing room curtain closed, yelping "That one's no good!" and found himself overly grateful that they were the only ones there.

A soft and compliant "Okay" was the only reply from behind the curtain.

"I'll go find you something else," Nikko said, taking several steps backward.  "Wait right here."

"Yes, _yiff_."

A smile crossed Nikko's lips as he took another step backward, and then it dropped when he backed into something solid.  Eyes wide and an apology already on his tongue, Nikko turned slowly.  "I'm so sorry..."  He trailed off as his gaze went up and up.

It was a large man, because of course it was, and the sneer on his hairy lip was the furthest thing from pleasant.  His voice was gravel as he ground out "Fornicatin' in the dressin' rooms is illegal, ya know."

"I'm... sorry?"

"You disgustin' fags, ruinin' our country.  Now I hav'ta watch ya get married.  Fuckin' gross."

Nikko's eyes turned away.  He absolutely hated people like this, but he wasn't confrontational.  He wanted to tell the jerk off, but words wouldn't come – wouldn't have come even if the guy weren't twice his size.  So instead of saying anything or sticking up for himself, he just moved to step around the guy.

He didn't get very far.  The man moved with him, blocking his path, looking to pick a fight.  A club of a hand pushed Nikko's shoulder, planting a bruise, and the pained sound Nikko grunted out had him feeling even more like a wimp than usual.

"Nikko?"  The fox's gentle voice questioned from behind the curtain.

So many things flashed through Nikko's torn mind.  He didn't want to be alone; he didn't want to get the fox involved; he didn't even have a name to call out to.

His lack of intention didn't matter as the homophobic bully grabbed Nikko's shirt collar, giving him a shake before he sneered with curdling, rank breath "Yer boyfriend's callin' fer ya."

Nikko whimpered high in the back of his throat.  "He's not..."  Human.  "He's not my boyfriend."

"Sure he ain't, ya sick little fuck.  I bet he plows yer tight ass every night."

"Let me go, please."

"I wanna take a tire iron to yer face."

He had been lucky for thirty-five years.  Sure, he had read awful comments on the internet; seen talk shows featuring zealots who raved that all the homosexuals will burn in Hell for eternity.  He had seen the pictures of children holding signs that proclaimed 'God hates fags', and raptly followed every bit of news where people argued about whether or not he should be allowed to get married.  But aside from the comments and stares Nikko got the few times he had gone on dates with men, he had never been directly confronted about his sexuality, and he had never been confronted so violently.  He had read the stories, though, and it terrified him.

And all he could do in the face of such fury was whimper pathetically.

"Nikko!"

The curtain of the dressing room burst open and his fox stood there clad in nothing but his trunks, though it may as well have been shining armor.  His yellow eyes were fierce in a way Nikko didn't think was possible from such a gentle beast.  His ears laid flat on his head, but his tail stuck out straight, bristled, angry.

"Leave Nikko alone!"

The man tensed, grip tightening a moment in the face of someone almost the same height as he was, but then he put his bully face back on.  "Or what?  You'll sick yer AIDS on me?"

The fox lowered his head, not even giving a warning before he launched forward, proving the horns weren't just for show.  The hard bone hit the man square in the chest, audibly knocking the wind out of him and sending him crashing to the floor.  Nikko was caught up in the fox's arms, shielded from the blow, safe for a moment and then pulled back behind his savior.

"Ya crazy bastard," the man said as he ambled back onto his feet.  "I oughta call the cops on ya."

"You assaulted me first," Nikko said, voice rising now that he had a shield.  He was too weak on his own, but perhaps with his fox by his side, he could find a touch of strength.

For a moment, the bully looked like he was going to step up to battle, but when the fox tilted his chin down again, he relented.  "Ya freaks ain't worth the trouble," he grunted, jabbing a pair of fingers pointed like a gun in their direction.  Then with a hand pressed to his battered chest and wounded pride, he slithered away as quietly as he had appeared.

Immediately, the fox turned.  "Nikko!  Are you okay!?"

"I'm fine.  Just..."  He looked up and up into his fox's concerned face, the store's overhead light giving him a glowing halo as his lip trembled.  The crybaby fox was the fox Nikko was used to, and he smiled.  "I'm fine.  Thank you."

"He wanted to hurt you."  Said with a pout.

Nikko was silent a beat, looking off to the side before slowly replying "Some... humans are like that."  Not so much better than animals, after all; perhaps worse.  "Sometimes they hate for no reason."  Then when the fox's lip quivered again, Nikko put on a smile.  "But you saved me."

The fox's face lit up, bright with purpose.  "I'll always protect Nikko!"

And then it hit him.  A name.  The perfect name.

He opened his mouth to speak, lifted a hand.  Then he paused, unsure.  Always so unsure.  When he moved again it was simply to place his hand on the fox's arm.  "You should get dressed before we get in trouble.  We'll try another store."

"Okay."  Smile still burning, the fox disappeared back into the dressing room.

All this after having worked a full day.  Nikko heaved an exhausted sigh and leaned against the wall beside the dressing room.  His eyes closed for a moment, brief, and he could swear he saw the name on the back of his eyelids.  He tasted it on his tongue.

" _Knight_."

"Nikko?"  The rustling of clothes ceased as the fox's voice drifted through the curtain.  "Did you say something?"

"For your name," Nikko answered, opening his tired eyes to glace at the pink curtain that separated them.  "What do you think of _Knight_?"

The curtain tore open again, shocking that it hadn't been ripped off its rod entirely yet, and the fox stared wide-eyed in his t-shirt, a single foot sunk into the leg of his coveralls that dragged behind him as he rushed forward.  "You found a name for me!"

"If you like it..."  Nikko's cheeks tinted pink.

"I love it!  Because-"  The fox's cheeks matched, blush for blush.  "Because I want to be Nikko's knight..."

Nikko's smile was soft, yet bright.  "I think... you are."  He chuckled shy.  "Now, go get dressed."

"Okay!"

He would call Jack tomorrow and make it official.  His fox had a name.  He would have someone to call out to when he came home every day.  He had someone to care for, who would care for him.

Suddenly, Nikko didn't feel so alone anymore.


	3. Lost

 

 

His tail twitched involuntarily, and he grabbed it to hold it still.  He had mixed feelings on the thing.  Humans weren't supposed to have tails; how could he be human if he had this stupid tail that wouldn't stay still?  And it embarrassed Nikko when they were in public, so he had to tuck it into his pants, hide it from the stares of real humans.  Humans who didn't have tails and thought it was weird that he did.

But sometimes, when they were alone at home, away from people and their curious eyes, when they lounged on the couch and watched TV or read books, Nikko's hand would find its way to his tail and pet it or brush fingers through it.  Sometimes Nikko would just hold his tail loosely in an easy grip, idly fiddling with the strands of fur.  It felt so good!

The tail twitched again.  He couldn't help it; he was happy.  He had woken up early and got to see Nikko sleep.  Nikko was so pretty when he slept; his long eyelashes rested on apple cheeks, the usual crease in his brow softened, his pink lips parted slightly.  Nikko was always so worried about everything – his job, his apartment, his family... his _pet_ – but he seemed to be able to relax in his sleep.

He owed everything to Nikko.  When nobody else wanted him, weird-looking mutt that he was, Nikko took him in.  Nikko gave him a home, bought him clothes and games, taught him to be human.  Nikko gave him a _name_.

Knight smiled, letting his tail go free so that he could bury his face in Nikko's chest.  He was overwhelmed with Nikko's scent, and he nuzzled in further until a small hand plopped onto his head and scratched behind his ears.  He also couldn't help the little ' _yiff_ ' that escaped his throat like a hiccup.

A gentle chuckle sounded, before a questioning "Knight?"

"Nikko smells good."

"You've got to start sleeping in your own room one of these days."

"But it's dark!"

Another chuckle, then the small hand moved to his horn, pulling it to ease Knight's head back, forcing him to look up into sleepy brown eyes.  "You are a big, strong, fox-ram thing.  You can't actually be scared of the dark."

"But..."  It's lonely.

"And sometimes..."  Nikko let go of the horn then, his hand and gaze dropping.  "Sometimes I need to be alone."

Knight quickly began to scoot back.  He had messed up; he had been a bother.  He had taken advantage of Nikko's kindness far too much, and now Nikko was tiring of him.  "I- I'm-  _Yiff_.  I'm sorry!"  He couldn't see with all the tears in his eyes.

"No, Knight."  Nikko shot up to a sit, grabbing Knight just as he was about to fall off the bed.  "You don't need to be sorry, just..."  His throat bobbed.  Knight couldn't tell what he was thinking.  Then Nikko just finished with "Never mind.  Don't worry about it."

"Nikko..."

So small hands came up, brushed his tears away, retreated.  "I'm going to take a shower."

Knight scrambled off the bed.  "Shall I make coffee for you?"

"Yeah," Nikko smiled.  "That'd be great."

He wasn't so good at cooking yet, the one attempt he had made ending up in burnt and cut fingers, but he could do coffee.  As long as the coffee maker didn't leak all over again, he could make a passable pot of coffee.  Nikko had taught him how.

Knight hummed to himself, tail twitching as he fixed a large mug with a single cube of sugar; Nikko drank his coffee mostly black.  One pointed ear listened in on the brewing pot, the other stayed turned toward the running shower.  It wasn't until he heard a soft gasp, while he was pouring the fresh coffee, that he paused his humming and his step.

He very carefully set the pot down, listening intently, sharp ears pointed toward the bathroom.  And when he heard a pained moan, he sprang into a flurry of movement.  He threw himself into the bathroom door, busting it open, and ripped off the shower curtain, tearing away anything that tried to separate him from Nikko.  "Are you okay!?"

Nikko looked up at him, dark eyes wide in shock and something else.  He had one hand braced against the shower's tile wall, the other wrapped around his own genital.  There was no blood, nothing to indicate he had been harmed, but there was pain or something... something like _fear_ written in his face.

Then, for the first time since they had come together weeks ago, Nikko raised his voice, yelling "Get out!"  And Knight stood still, petrified, until Nikko grabbed the battered curtain and pulled it in front of himself, snapping again.  "Out!"

Knight fled.  Not only the bathroom – he left the apartment completely, forgoing shoes or a jacket or the hat he usually wore outside to cover his horns.  He was still in the cotton pajamas Nikko had bought for him, which did little to protect him from the cool, early-spring wind that hit him as he dashed out of the apartment building.

He was a stupid fox.  So stupid, and now even someone as kind as Nikko didn't want him.  He didn't even understand what he had done wrong, but he knew it was his fault.  He had made Nikko angry, or worse – he had scared Nikko.  With his stupid mutt body and stupid ears and horns – his stupid, non-human tail – he had made Nikko afraid.

He was supposed to be Nikko's knight.

The city, the streets, everything was unfamiliar to him.  He always just followed Nikko around when they went out, never bothering to learn how to get around on his own.  He had relied on Nikko so much, he was useless, and in no time at all he was lost.

He stopped running when he found himself in a park; several mothers watched their bundled-up children play, but otherwise it was empty.  His chest hurt, but it wasn't from exertion.  His heart hurt.  He wanted to cry, because on top of being stupid, he was also a crybaby.  It was with a rough hand that he swiped at the tears running down his face.

A tug at his tail made Knight jump, and then he looked down to see a little blonde girl looking up at him with bright blue eyes.  "Mister, are you okay?  You're crying."

"I..."  She wasn't afraid of him.  He could talk to this child.  "I'm lost.  I need to find the facility."

"Fashilly-tee?"

"It's the laboratory where I was born.  There are scientists, and Jack is there."  He would go back, if he could find it.  He would ask if he could be destroyed, since he wasn't doing anyone any good.  "I need to go to there.  Do you know where it is?"

The little girl gave an exaggerated shrug.  "I dunno."  Then she pet his tail, like Nikko did.  It didn't feel as good, though.  "I like your tail!"

"Jessica!"  An equally blonde woman ran up to them, lifting the small girl and glaring at Knight as she chided "I told you not to talk to strangers."

"But he has a pretty tail!" the girl protested as she was carried off.

"It's a costume," the mother said, and Knight stopped listening.  The woman was like all the other people who stared at him, the people who made Nikko uncomfortable.  Nikko had said humans sometimes hate for no reason – the more time Knight spent outside the facility, the more he saw it.

But Nikko was kind; Nikko was gentle.  Nikko had patiently put up with Knight for as long as he could, longer than anyone else would have, until Knight ruined everything.

A pathetic sob escaped him, but he began to move again.  He had to find the facility.

The city's tall buildings were intimidating when he was on his own, titans looming over him, staring him down.  No matter how much Nikko had taught him, he was still so far away from being able to live on his own.  His shoulder accidentally bumped someone else's and he jumped, an apology on his tongue, even as the man simply glared and muttered "Watch it, freak" before continuing on.

Aimlessly, Knight wandered up and down the streets.  Nothing looked familiar; he had no idea where he was or how to get anywhere.  As hours went by, he grew hungry, his stomach grumbling in anger, loudly demanding sustenance.  He didn't have money to buy food like a human, and even he – in all his stupidity – knew better than to try and steal.  His gut hurt from hunger, and when he spotted a rat sniffing around an alley, his instincts kicked in.

He chased the rodent, quick on his feet despite his mostly human body, and yiffed in victory when he caught it.  Just when he had raised it to his mouth to bite in, however, he saw the eyes of everyone in the area trained on him.  Lips were curled in disgust and murmurs of "What the fuck?" drifted into his twitching ears.  A few people had the cameras of their cell phones directed at him, their minds already writing the video title for posting on YuuTube.  'Dude with a tail catches rat on street; eats it raw'.

He dropped the rat, feeling more than seeing it scurry away to safety.

After a moment of utter stillness, Knight ran again, pushing past the onlookers.  He wanted to go home.  He wanted Nikko.

He didn't have a home to go back to.

He ran for a grove of trees.  Another park, maybe the same one as before, he really didn't know.  Maybe he had just walked in circles all day; maybe he had walked clear across the country.  But the trees would shield him, so he ran to them, a big, strong, fox-ram thing hiding in the dark shade of elms.

Then Knight fell to the ground.  Curling up at the foot of a wide tree, he wrapped his tail around himself for warmth, buried his face in his arms, and cried loudly until he passed out with exhaustion.

 

 

 

 

It was freezing when he woke up, the grove already several degrees cooler than elsewhere due to the lack of sunlight, and colder still since the sun had apparently set altogether.  Without the warmth of glowing sunshine, Knight thought he might freeze to death, and he shivered violently.

But it wasn't the cold that had woken him; it was his name.  He was being called.

"Knight!"

It was unmistakably Nikko's voice, though it was hoarse, as if he had been screaming all day.  Knight had to use every bit of his willpower not to jump up and run to him.  Nikko was better off without him.  But still, his ears swiveled towards the voice.

"Knight!"  Nikko called again, but it was quieter this time, choked and broken.  The "Where are you?" that followed was but a whisper.

Chains creaked, haunting, leading into the screech of a neglected swing accepting a new rider.  His sharp ears caught shuddering breaths, but it was the whimper that pulled him out of his ball.

Nikko was crying, and it was all his fault.

Creeping to the edge of the grove, Knight stopped where the trees did.  From there, he could see Nikko, see how Nikko's head bowed to hide his face, though there was nobody around to hide from.  Nikko's thin fingers gripped the chains of the swing he sat in and he shook slightly, though if it was from the cold or from crying, Knight didn't know.

The barely heard whimpers made Knight's heart hurt more.  He could _feel_ Nikko's pain, and it confused him.  Nikko should be happy to be rid of him, rejoice at the freedom of having his apartment and bed to himself again.  But he was sad – terribly sad – and it struck so painfully in Knight's chest that he dropped to his knees, a long whine tearing unbidden from his throat.

Nikko turned suddenly, and even in the darkness their gazes met, soaked brown meeting drenched yellow.  They stared for a long time, until Nikko leapt to his feet and ran, plowing into Knight and wrapping arms around him before the fox even realized what was happening.

"Why did you leave me?" Nikko choked out as he clung to Knight, pressing his face into Knight's neck.  "I thought I had lost you."

"I- I thought you didn't want me anymore..."

"I'm sorry!"  The grip Nikko had on the back of Knight's pajama shirt tightened as he began to shake again.  It was definitely from crying, the force of trying to hold back sobs causing him to tremble.  "I shouldn't have yelled at you.  I was... startled, but it was wrong of me to yell."

"It's my fault," Knight insisted.  "I'm..."  His voice dropped.  "I'm stupid and annoying..."

Nikko pulled back then, looking Knight in the face.  "No, you're not.  It's my job to be patient and teach you, but I'm not doing very well with it."

"Nikko is the best teacher!"

A smile touched Nikko's lips, but it somehow seemed sad.  Usually Nikko's smiles made Knight happy, but this one didn't.  "Knight..."  He never finished what he was going to say, though.  Another abandoned thought.  Eventually he just reached up and tugged at one of the long locks of Knight's hair.  "Let's go home."

"You don't..."  He could feel the pout on his lip, worried it made him seem clingy – _clingier_ – but couldn't make it go away.  "You don't hate me?"

"Of course not," Nikko replied as he reached up to pet Knight's ears.  The smile this time felt more real; it made Knight happy.  "I like you very much."  Then his hand fell.  He practically whispered "I like you too much."

Knight didn't understand, because how was it possible to like someone _too_ much?  _Like_ was a good thing; from what he had seen of the outside world, there needed to be more _like_.  "Then I like Nikko too much too!"

A look of pain crossed Nikko's face, though he didn't seem to be injured.  "Knight...  It's not..."  Then he shook his head and shivered.  "Let's go before we freeze to death."

 

 

 

 

He was super quiet as he crept into Nikko's room, not wanting to wake him.  Nikko always told him to stay in his own room, but he just couldn't.  It was too dark, too cold.  It reminded him too much of all the time he spent at the facility, years and years of being alone, watching his friends get taken in while he was passed over again and again.  Always alone.  He couldn't stand it.

He was sure he was quiet as he climbed into Nikko's bed, curled up facing him, but a silent moment later Nikko's arm came up and went around him.  His ears perked; he waited for Nikko to say something, but the room stayed quiet, and Knight figured Nikko must have moved in his sleep.  Until-

"Promise me."

" _Yiff_?"  He looked up.  In the darkness he could see Nikko's eyes opened to bare slits.

"Promise me you won't run away again."

Nikko sounded sad.  It made Knight sad too.  "I promise."

"You know what that means, right?  Humans take promises very seriously."

"I...  I know..."  He wouldn't run away ever again.  Nikko wanted him to stay, so he would protect the promise.  They would be together forever.  "I promise."

Knight's tail twitched.


	4. Playtime For Animals

 

 

 

He was, more or less, saved by the bell.

Months had passed since Knight came into Nikko's life and his home.  The bitter chill of earliest spring turned into the easy warmth of oncoming summer, while one human and one fox-hybrid learned to live around each other.  And with every day, week, month that passed, Nikko found himself growing more and more in-

Affection.  It was affection he felt.  Like one would feel for a pet, because humans couldn't feel anything deeper for an animal.

But Knight was adorable and Knight was charming, and sometimes a little ' _yiff_ ' would escape from Knight's mouth and he looked so embarrassed every time it happened.  His tail curled when he was happy and bristled when he was scared; he cried at least once a day, but when he smiled, it was the most brilliant light in the world.  He worked so hard on his studies and loved praise, and even if he didn't have an amazing body, Nikko would still hold all this _affection_ for him.

He did have a nice body, though.  Nikko couldn't help but notice.  Knight's body – his _human_ body – was smokin', and he often got lustful glances or even blatant staring from people who likely wouldn't believe what he was if they were told in small words.  Knight never picked up on the come-hither looks, though, for which Nikko was grateful, and so far nobody had approached him directly.

It was getting harder to ignore that nice body, that delicate and handsome face.  The more Nikko's affection towards Knight grew, the more his physical attraction did as well, and he had to berate himself harshly when he found his eyes lingering too long on a strong chest built from ram DNA, or that juncture at the small of his back that bled into the soft brown fur of a fox tail.  But his own scrawny body, more and more often, lit up when Knight was near.  He warmed, he blushed, his dick filled.  Knight's nose seemed to quiver whenever that happened.

Nikko forced himself to think of other things when he stroked himself off in the shower.  He thought of the cute veterinarian across the street, with his dark skin and friendly smile.  He thought of his first boyfriend back in college, Aaron Smith, the blond-haired, blue-eyed übermensch.  He thought of nothing at all, putting all of his focus on the pleasure he gave himself, locked away in the bathroom like a dirty little secret.  But when the moment came, when he launched himself over the cliff of release, he saw sharp ears and a fluffy tail, and he had to bite scars into his own arm to keep himself from crying out Knight's name.

He was going to Hell, for sure.  There was a special spot just for him in the level where animal abusers got their nuts chewed off by rats.

The oncoming summer made things worse.  In an effort to put off turning on the air conditioner and save money, the amount of clothing they wore around the apartment became less and less, until Nikko came home to find Knight sprawled out on the living room floor in nothing but a pair of shorts that hardly covered him.  Nikko had to excuse himself to the bathroom quickly that day, and then the air conditioner was turned on at last.

Some mornings, Nikko woke up with a mouth full of tail, because no matter how many times he told Knight to sleep in his own room, the fox didn't listen.  It was the only bit of rebelliousness Knight had shown, though, so it was difficult to be strict with him.

Some mornings, Nikko woke up with Knight pressed right up against him, bodies aligned, making him overly hot despite the running air conditioner and thin pajamas.  He had to disentangle before the raging erection that feeling Knight's dick pressed against his ass caused drove him out of his mind.

Some mornings, Nikko was already hard when he woke up, dreams of playful ' _yiff_ 's breaking up as he rose to consciousness.

He had become aware of Knight sniffing him, his nose running along his side, dragging lips after it.  The sniffing had continued, as if on a searching quest, until Nikko asked in a rough, sleep-laden voice "Knight?  What are you doing?"

"Nikko smells good," had been Knight's answer as he leaned up and over, moving from Nikko's side to his stomach.

Nikko pushed lightly at Knight's head, weak with the clinging remnants of sleep.  "You always say that."

"It's different this time!"  His nose quested lower.  "There's something sweet, I think.  It's coming from..."  That perfect nose, perfect mouth, perfect face breached upon Nikko's groin, tickling at the leading hairs that peeked from above the waistband of his sleep shorts.  "From here."

"Knight!"  Nikko pushed harder this time, awake now, for sure.  He shoved Knight's head away and scooted the few centimeters away that he could while lying down.

Knight looked up at him with furrowed brows, looking hurt, denied a treat.  Then, in his apparent second act of rebelliousness, he leaned down again, shoving his face directly into Nikko's crotch, inhaling deeply.  His tail began to curl in pleasure.

Nikko's erection surged and he gasped out Knight's name.  His fingers flexed, but he didn't move, too scared that an attempt to push Knight away again would result in him pulling the fox closer.

And then the phone rang.

A groan escaped Nikko's lips when Knight pulled his face away to look curiously at the silver device resting on the nightstand.  Several deep breaths later, Nikko pulled himself together enough to actually answer it.

It was Jack, and Nikko's heart began to pound before he even said a greeting, convinced the rabbit somehow knew what had been going on, knew what thoughts were in Nikko's depraved head.  He would get kicked out of the program; he would get thrown in jail; Knight would be taken away from him.  Surely his meek "Hello?" betrayed every bit of his guilt.

"Good morning," Jack returned, professional as always.  He had called regularly when Knight first came here, checking in, making sure everything was alright and answering any questions Nikko had.  As the months went on, however, the calls became less frequent, which Nikko took as a good sign, understanding that it meant the facility trusted he could handle things.

Sometimes, he wasn't so sure he could.  He hoped his doubts didn't carry though the line when he echoed the greeting.  "Good morning."

"I hope I didn't wake you.  I understand you're on summer break now?"

"Yeah..." Nikko replied.  Jack didn't sound suspicious; maybe he was safe for now.  "But it's okay.  I was up anyway."  Too 'up'.

There was a smile in Jack's voice as he went on with "Knight must be happy to have you around more."

"Yeah, I think he is."  He looked to the fox who was looking back, a smile on his lips as his tail flopped back and forth.  They had spent almost every moment together since summer break started, two weeks prior.  Though Knight still had his studies and Nikko had a lot of work to prepare for the upcoming new school year, they usually sat side-by-side or across from each other at the living room's low coffee table.  Knight had definitely seemed happier as of late.

"That's good."  Jack gave a quiet chuckle.  It had been clear from the start that he cared deeply for his animal brethren.  "I'm calling to let you know there will be a picnic for teachers and students two weeks from now.  As it's the first one since you joined the program, I strongly encourage you to attend.  It's a good opportunity to meet other teachers and exchange ideas."

Nikko's mouth went dry.  It sounded absolutely terrifying.  "Will there... be many people there?"

"Not too many.  Perhaps twenty or so, but..."  The line was silent for a moment, until Jack continued.  "Knight hasn't had much exposure to others, has he?"

It was like a punch to the gut.  It was true that Nikko didn't have any friends; he had his coworkers and a class full of students whom he saw every day, so he never felt like he was lacking in human interaction.  He'd had friends when he was younger, but got fed up when they constantly declined every invitation he extended to hang out, despite the fact that he always went out of his way to accept the invitations of others.  For a long time, he felt like a doll, only to be played with at the whims of others.  So he had made a decision.  Since he had to do everything he wanted to do alone anyway, he stopped trying, stopped bothering to invite others to spend time with him.  He also stopped accepting the invitations to do what someone else wanted to do.  He slipped quietly out of everyone's life, and he was fairly certain no one even noticed.  It was lonely, but he was fine with that.

But he wasn't alone anymore.  And while it was nice having Knight around, it also meant he had someone else to take into consideration.  He got what Jack was implying – Knight needed to be around other people; he needed to interact with others and learn how to meet others.  Knight needed to know how to make friends, because even if Nikko was fine – _fine_ – on his own, it didn't mean Knight deserved to have that imposed on him as well.  The point of the program was to teach knight to be independent, and he couldn't be if he became a shut-in like Nikko practically was.  Knight needed to be able to live on his own.

Because someday he would leave.

Nikko let out a slow breath, and then asked "Where is it?"

"It'll be at Daniels Park.  I can send you the information via e-mail, if you'd like."

"Yeah, that'd be good."

"I'll do that, then," Jack replied.  "I hope to see you there."

"You will..."

They hung up and Nikko heaved a sigh.  His erection disappeared as stress coursed through him, and incidentally Knight no longer seemed interested in his crotch.  It was for the best, because Nikko didn't have time to worry about that.  Right then, all he had time for was brainstorming possible conversations and writing scripts of perfectly normal replies.

 

 

 

 

He thought he had come up with every combination of words that might come his way, and was sure he would be able to handle any interaction that came up, both human and animal.

Naturally, all those preparations where blasted to useless within moments of arriving at the reserved picnic area of Daniels Park.  He was greeted with a smile upon approach, ticking him one point towards comfort, and then when the woman's gaze landed on Knight, an unmistakable look of disgust crossed her eyes and curled her lip.  It sent Nikko's comfort levels reeling backwards towards wanting out of there, and though he would never claim to be a lip reader, he could see the word "Mutt" on her mouth when she leaned closer to another woman sitting next to her.

Knight's ears drooped, likely able to hear it, and it drove a spike of anger through Nikko.  He hadn't really thought about elitism amongst the program's teachers, but snobs were everywhere, it seemed.

Nikko turned, about to leave altogether, until a delicate hand took him by the elbow.  Startled, he jerked his head to see Jack, who began to lead him back towards the picnic in progress.  Jack was dressed in a suit despite the heat, and his rabbit ears were back, looking for all the world like a real human, albeit a bit pale.  "They own the matching poodles over there," Jack said as he gestured his chin towards a pair of tall, Twiggy-skinny girls with poofy, white curls who watched the rest of the picnickers with clear disdain.  "They also donate a lot of money to the program...  Or, at least their husbands do, so we can't ask them to leave or berate them.  Please just deal with them."  Then they stopped walking, and Jack faced him fully, buck-teeth showing through his smile.  "I'm glad you made it."

"Thanks..."

Jack smiled again, and then turned his attention to Knight.  "And how are you?" he asked, stepping over to scratch behind the soft fox ears.  "You look well."

"Yes!" Knight answered, happy.  "Nikko takes good care of me!"

"I'm glad."  Then Jack stepped back to address them both.  "There's food and room to run.  Help yourself to anything.  Bathrooms are down that path over there.  If you have any questions or need anything, I'll be around."  He smiled polite, and then his red eyes turned decidedly to Nikko, though his voice was casual.  "Please meet the others, and have a good time."

Nikko gave a "Thank you," and then realized he had said all of three words before Jack left them alone.  Throwing them to the wolves, almost literally, Jack wasn't about to coddle him and let Nikko stick by him – he was forcing Nikko to do it on his own, and in turn showing Knight how to hold himself in social situations.

Really, Nikko was the last person who should be teaching that.

"Let's get some snacks," Nikko said, though his stomach hurt with anxiety.  With his face schooled into a smile, he led Knight to the table piled with food – plenty of meat for the carnivores and veggies for the herbivores – and handed him one of the small paper plates, keeping another for himself.  He smiled at everyone he saw.

Others were around the food table, conversation was made, and Nikko managed to keep up his side like a person who totally knew how to be social.  When a kind-looking middle-aged woman asked "You're new here, aren't you?" he was successfully able to keep his voice from cracking like a tween.

"Yeah.  This is my first picnic."

"How long have you been in the program?"

"Since March."

"Well, your fox is very handsome."  She tossed a good-natured wink at Knight, who giggled in response.

"Thank you," Nikko replied, his smile becoming miles more genuine.  Not everyone was a bully; not everyone was a snob.  He knew that, even if it was hard to remember sometimes.  "Do you have a student too?"  Then he mentally smacked himself as soon as the question came out of his mouth.  Of course she did; she wouldn't be there otherwise.

But there was no hint of judgment in the woman's face as she answered "Yes, I have two male cats, but they're off chasing a squirrel somewhere."

"I see," Nikko said with a chuckle, even as he wondered if it were a squirrel or a ' _squirrel_ '.  He left that question unasked, though.

Food retrieved, they found an empty picnic table to sit at, and for a while just watched the activities around them.  By and large, there seemed to be a divide between teachers and students, as though the animals were taking the opportunity to freely play, and the humans more than happy to leave them to it and talk amongst themselves.  Nikko was nothing short of amazed as he watched the students frolic.  Ears and tails aside, a lot of animal traits showed themselves in the students' interactions.

The cats were more aloof, most of them looking content to just watch from the sidelines, though a few played as well, chasing the rabbits or taking turns chasing and being chased by dogs.  Sometimes they rubbed their faces on the other students, and Nikko understood that that meant they were friends.

The dogs were playful, happily running and racing and chasing, playing fetch with one another or having a tug-of-war that ultimately turned into a wrestling match.  They were also the most vocal, barking and yipping to show their joy.  Only the poodle twins and a little chihuahua cowering by his teacher's side were quiet.

There were only two rabbits, aside from Jack, and they tried their best to stay out of the way for as long as playful kittens would let them.  One of them was rather large and had the floppiest brown ears, which the smaller, black rabbit seemed to enjoy hiding under.  Nikko both smiled and blushed when he saw their little cotton-puff tails peeking out from their altered shorts.

His eyes turned to Knight, who was watching the other animals with interest.  The e-mail Jack had sent was clear that the area of the park would be private in order to give the students a chance to go all-out and be themselves in the fresh air.  Knowing that, Nikko had allowed Knight to let his tail out, keep his ears up in their natural position, and the relief in Knight's eyes had said everything.

The few other foxes seemed to enjoy darting into other students' games just long enough to get in the way before dancing out of reach and finding someone else to pester.  They were bratty, for sure, but the others took it in stride, giving chase at times.  All of them were smiling.

There was one pure-breed fennec, and she was breathtakingly adorable.  Her body was tiny and dainty, which made her tan-colored ears seem all the larger.  She seemed very popular, with many males chasing after her, but she was nimble on her bare feet, and never got caught.  Her laughter was like the tinkling of bells and her white sundress twirled around her as she evaded yet another grabbing hand, and Nikko couldn't help his persistent smile as he watched, until he caught sight of a large figure looming toward him.

It was a wolf, and a big one at that.  The wolves were the ones Nikko was most wary of – second only to humans – so of course they would be the most abundant.  He supposed it was an ego thing, people wanting to be able to say they were in charge of a fierce predator.  Or perhaps it was compensation.  Either way, a red-headed wolf had made a bee-line straight for them, and Nikko's body went rigid, caught between flight or playing dead, until Knight jumped to his feet.

"Gus!"

The wolf gave a dazzling smile with dangerously pointed teeth as he greeted "Fox," and it finally hit Nikko that they must have known each other from the facility.  Knight hadn't shown any recognition towards any of the other students, but Nikko found himself relieved that there was at least one familiar friend amongst the menagerie.

"It's Knight now," the fox replied with a bright smile of his own.  "I finally have a name!"

"Nice to hear," came the reply as the wolf's golden eyes turned to Nikko.  There was natural power and aggression in each of Gus's movements, and being under his scrutiny made Nikko shiver.

"This is Nikko, my teacher."  Knight's smile turned up, blinding.  "He's so nice to me!"

A fanged smirk appeared on the wolf's lips.  "He's tiny."  But then he smiled more friendly.  "Good to meet 'cha."

"Y-Yeah..."  Nikko managed a slight bob of his head, like a stunted bow.

Without sparing Nikko another ounce of his attention, Gus grabbed the shoulder of Knight's t-shirt and tugged.  "Let's play."

Knight's enthusiasm towards his friend wavered a bit as he gave a stilted "N-nn..."  Then his gaze turned to Nikko, a question in the yellow depths.

"Go," Nikko said, smile in place.

"Is it okay?"

"Of course.  That's why we're here.  Go.  Have fun."

Knight smiled again; his tail curled.  "Okay."  Then he allowed himself to be pulled away, until Gus let go of him and took off running.  Pausing in his steps, Knight turned and looked back at Nikko, who gave his brightest smile and waved.  Only then did Knight finally perk back up, and then he was off and running after his friend.

And Nikko was left alone.

He watched them play, on edge at first, worried about Knight getting hurt.  The fox had pounced on his larger friend, but was soon wrestled to the ground and the two began tumbling over each other.  A floppy-eared Labrador had no qualms joining in the fray, tackling Knight, only to be tackled by Gus in return.  But they seemed to know just how rough they could be, how much strength they could use to play their games without anyone getting injured or angry.  Even Knight seemed to instinctively know how much to hold back as he playfully headbutted a gray wolf in the gut, making use of his horns.  Poodles aside, none of the other animals seemed to care that Knight was a hybrid – a mutt – and they accepted him as another friend to play with, more accepting than humans ever were.  Very quickly, Nikko realized he was smiling at their antics.

"They're cute, huh?"

Nikko jumped at the voice that had appeared beside him, and he turned to see a young woman sit next to him, taking the seat Knight had vacated.  She looked to be the same age as him, or perhaps a little younger, her dark brown hair in a super-short, boyish cut.  She looked stylish and had a casual air about her.

Her laugh was easy.  "Sorry if I startled you.  I haven't seen you around before.  Are you new?"

"Yeah, I just joined the program a few months ago, so..."

"Well, welcome."  She stuck her hand out, the first person to actually introduce themselves to him.  "I'm Ginger."

"Nikko..."  He took her offered hand for a quick, limp shake.

"Nice name!"

"Thanks...  My parents gave it to me..."

Ginger laughed, taking it as a joke when really he was just being awkward.  "Does it mean anything?"

"I don't know...  My mom's really spiritual, so my siblings and I are all named after 'power spots'."  He made air quotes with his fingers before quickly pulling his hands down again.  He was talking too much; she didn't care about his family's quirks.

"That's cool."

Nikko's eyes drew away from her steady gaze.  "My brother Machu doesn't think so."

He figured she would think he was weird, but instead she laughed again.  "I know the feeling, though.  I have a younger twin sister name Ale.  Though I guess she got the shorter end of that stick."

A smile found its way to Nikko's lips, and it bubbled until he too was laughing.  It felt good.

"There it is."  Ginger's smile quieted, but was no less sincere.  "I was afraid you didn't like us."

Nikko shook his head slightly, falling back to shy.  "No...  Everyone's been really nice.  Or, almost everyone, anyway."

"Poodles?"

Nikko nodded, chuckled lightly.  "Poodles."  Then his gaze fell away again.  "I just... don't do well with people."  Every 'No, I can't make it'; every 'I have other things to do that day'; every 'Sorry, I have to cancel our plans because someone else invited me to do something else, but happy birthday!'; they all flashed through his mind, stabbing like ice, reminding him that he shouldn't even be bothering talking right now.  He should just go home.

"So which one's yours?" Ginger asked, a question Nikko never thought he would hear in his life.  It drew his eyes up, out, towards his reason for being there.

"The brown fox with horns."

"A hybrid, huh?"  Her remark was casual, not judgmental.  "They're pretty rare.  This is my first time seeing one."  She smiled so broadly that her blue eyes crinkled.  "He's beautiful."

An unwarranted and ridiculous blush touched Nikko's face as he stammered out "Th- Thank you."  Then he turned redder when he realized how stupid that must have sounded.  It wasn't like he birthed Knight or had anything at all to do with his looks.

"I can tell you take good care of him.  He looks really healthy and happy."

"Thank... you..."  That one he _could_ take credit for.  Then he asked "How about you?" to divert attention away from himself.

"I have a female dog," Ginger answered with her smile.  "She's a golden retriever named Penny.  I believe she's..."  She began to search the park, looking for her student.  When her eyes widened a bit, Nikko knew she had found the dog-girl, but then her eyes narrowed again in amusement.  "Ah, there she is.  And it looks like she's made a friend."  Then she laughed.

Nikko followed her gaze, until he thought his head would burst with hot blush at what he saw.

The retriever was on her hands and knees, her long, blonde hair falling in front of her, hiding much from Nikko's point of view, but not nearly enough.  Her dress was pushed up and her face held pure pleasure as the small, black rabbit Nikko had seen before mounted her from behind.  He wore an expression of concentration as his slim hips pushed against her at a fast pace, his shorts dropped to his knees.  The brown, flop-eared rabbit sat nearby, as if waiting for his turn.

"Oh, my god!"  Nikko's hand flew to his eyes as he turned his head away, traumatized.

Ginger laughed again, greatly amused.  "What, did you think that they didn't do that?"

"We're in _public_."

"I don't think they care.  Have you never seen animals go at it before?  They don't care if they have an audience."

Nikko was shocked at her nonchalance.  Nobody else seemed to care either, as if they didn't hear the growing barks of pleasure.  Only he seemed to be uncomfortable.  And while he had seen animals mate in his life, it was different.  Those were _animals_ , but...  "But...  Their bodies..."

"Their bodies may be humanoid," Ginger said, catching his drift.  "But their minds-"  She tapped her temple.  "Their minds are still animal, largely.  This is normal and natural for them.  It's good for them to _socialize_ sometimes.  Hell, if Penny goes without for a while, she gets cranky."

Knight had never shown any interest in... socializing.  Aside from the sniffing, but Nikko chose to ignore that.  That wasn't sexual, that was just Knight being curious.  Nikko was skeptical, unsure, even as he took a furtive glance back to see the brown rabbit taking his turn... on the black rabbit.  The dog-girl, Penny, laid in the grass next to them, looking satisfied.

"I know Jack probably didn't say anything about it," Ginger continued.  "But it's one of the big reasons we have these gatherings and ensure private places."

"But..."  His next protest already hung on his tongue.  "But we're supposed to be teaching them to be human..."

Ginger regarded him for a moment, studying him.  Surely the judgment would come next.  Instead, she asked "Do you always let him run around with his tail out in public?"

"N-No..."

"But you did today.  Why?"

He got it.  "Because...  I knew it would just be people in the program here."

He got it, but Ginger explained anyway.  "It's the same thing.  The students know, or they should know, that these events are special, and that they can only do this here.  They have a freedom here that they can't have on regular days; a freedom that humans can never have."  Then she gave a one-shouldered shrug and smiled.  "I know it's surprising at first, but you get used to it.  And, yeah, by the time they graduate they don't do it anymore.  You'll never see Jack going at it."  A laugh sprang out of her then.  "Though he probably needs it more than anyone."

Nikko looked to Knight, who was still playing with the others, though he and Gus seemed to have separated from the rest.  They were lying in the grass together, nipping at each other.  Knight didn't seem to have noticed Penny or the bunnies at all, for which Nikko found himself grateful.  "What if she gets pregnant?"

"Then I guess I'll have puppies!"

His eyes bugged at how okay she seemed to be with the idea of having a whole litter of them.  Knight was enough of a handful; Nikko was sure he would go crazy having many more following him around like ducklings.

Ginger didn't wait for a reply – which was good, because Nikko had gone speechless – but she laughed again.  Apparently she found teasing him hilarious.  "Actually, they can't breed.  Technically they're all hybrids, human and animal, and hybrids can't reproduce.  That's why there aren't many ligers or zonkeys.  They're sterile."

That made more sense than anything he had heard so far, and he said as much.

"It's kind of a shame, though, ya know?  I'd love to see one of them as a baby."

An image of Knight as a baby – fat and soft, with tiny horns – came to Nikko's mind, and he chuckled, relaxing at last.  "That _would_ be cute."

" _Right_?  But the public isn't allowed in the actual laboratories, so nobody's ever seen what they look like young.  The rumor, though, is that they're born with animal bodies and have to have their genes, like... _zapped_ or something to start growing human limbs."

Nikko flinched, feeling a pang of sympathy.  "That might explain why it hurts them so much."

Ginger nodded, looking more solemn than Nikko had seen her in the whole hour they had known each other.  But then her eyes lit up, and she smiled.  Looking past Nikko, she said "Hey, Pen.  Have fun?"

The golden retriever trotted up, wrapping arms around Ginger's neck and sitting on the bench next to her.  She seemed cheerful and cuddly; her tail wagged happily.  "Yep!  Big fun!  Now I'm hungry."

Ginger laughed, and then leaned back to reveal Nikko.  "This is Nikko.  He's new.  He's teaching the hybrid fox over there."

"Nice to meet you!" Penny said with a broad smile.

"You to-"

"What's his name?"

"Ah...  His name's Knight."

"He's a cutie!"  Penny bounced.  "I want to socialize with him next."

Nikko's face went red; his chest squeezed.  His mouth opened, but no words came out.

Luckily, Ginger seemed to notice his distress.  "Maybe next time, Love."

"Aww."  Penny pouted even as she laid her head on Ginger's shoulder.  They seemed affectionate with each other, as any person and their dog would be, Nikko supposed.  Rubbing her nose against the fabric of Ginger's t-shirt, Penny went on to mutter "Feed me."

Another good-natured chuckle sounded from Ginger.  "Alright, alright.  Come on."  They stood up and she looked to Nikko before heading off to the snack table.  "Want anything?"

"No, I'm good," Nikko replied with a polite smile.  "Thanks."  He waved them off.

There was a wet spot on the bench where Penny had been sitting.

Nikko recoiled, though it was mostly out of shock.  Still, he was glad nobody was there to notice his probably immature reaction. They were still animals; he had to get over it.

Left alone again, his eyes instinctively sought out Knight once more.

And almost bugged right out of his head.

Gus had pinned him.  Knight lay on his side and Gus kneeled over him, straddling Knight's hip and holding himself up on strong arms.  And he was pressing his groin against Knight's hip, dry-humping him.  Knight didn't seem to understand, brow crinkled in confusion, but he also didn't seem to mind at all.  He smiled and his tail curled when Gus leaned over to bite at his ear, and when Gus's hand slid forward a bit, Knight rested his chin on it.

Nikko turned away, jerking around to face the picnic table he had been sitting at.  His arms came to rest on the table, his fingers gripping his forearms, digging nails into his flesh.  His chest hurt; it hurt _so much_.  It was jealousy ripping through him, tearing him up, but he had to quash it.

This was good for Knight.  It was normal and natural.  He needed to spend time with other animals like this.

He had to accept that _this_ was natural for Knight, and any feelings he had for the fox were not.  So Nikko brought his hands up, burying them into his hair as he hung his head, trying to block everything out.

Until he heard a familiar and _distressed_ ' _yiff_ '.

Nikko was on his feet in a flash, turning to Knight's direction.  His heart went cold, ice.

Gus wanted more.  He had a tight grip on Knight's shorts, yanking them, trying to get them off though Knight clearly didn't want that.  Knight was trying to push Gus away, trying to scramble out from under him, but the wolf was bigger, stronger, baring fangs.  When Knight gave a displeased growl, Gus snarled, sending Knight's ears flat.

Taking a step forward, Nikko opened his mouth to yell, to tell the wolf to stop, to protect his student.  But his throat clogged with fear, terrified of drawing attention – because what if he was wrong?  What if this was normal too? – as much as he was of Gus's large canine teeth.  He wanted to rush forward, grab Knight, and take him home, but Nikko's feet were rooted in place, unbudging.  He was stuck, and all he could do was croak out an unheard "Knight..."

"All right, all right.  Knock it off."  A stocky man in a football jersey lumbered up to the pair, bopping Gus on the head, completely unafraid.  Even when the wolf's head shot up, growling low in the back of his throat, the man didn't flinch.  He just put on a stern look, warning "Don't you dare."  And Gus relented, letting go of the cloth in his hands and sitting back.  Knight scurried free and Gus lunged for him, but the man admonished again.  "Leave him alone."

Knight ran for Nikko, tears in his eyes.  He was scared, and rightfully so, as he took hold of Nikko's shirtsleeve.  "I-  _Yiff_.  I accidentally ripped my clothes!  I-  I'm sorry!"

_That_ was what he was worried about?

"It's okay," Nikko replied, reaching up to tug at a lock of Knight's hair.  "It was an accident.  Are you...  Are you alright?"

"Hm?"

"Your friend seemed to be... getting a little rough."

"Gus was playing," Knight said, wiping the tears away with the back of his hand.  "But his playing got weird.  I didn't..."  Then his head drooped.  "I didn't mean to let him rip my clothes...  So-Sorry..."

Nikko took Knight by the horn, pulling his head down to tuck it against his chest, though it meant Knight had to bend down more than a little.  Knight seemed happy and relieved at the touch, wrapping his arms around Nikko's waist.  "It's okay," Nikko said, soothing, as he glanced around the picnic.  Nobody paid them any mind; nobody seemed to find it strange.  Everyone seemed to show great affection to their students, and for that, Nikko was grateful.  It made it so much easier to calm a concerned fox.  "It's not your fault.  We can buy you new clothes."  Next paycheck.  "Okay?"

Knight nodded into Nikko's chest and gave a tiny ' _yiff_ ', which made Nikko smile.

It was a smile that slowly dropped when he saw the stocky man, obviously Gus's teacher, heading toward them, one hand gripping the back of Gus's neck, though the wolf was larger than he was.  Nikko pulled back a bit away from Knight, and as Knight stood back to his full height, the other pair stopped in front of them.  Gus wouldn't make eye contact, instead keeping his gaze averted, his ears drooping.  He was in trouble.

"This guy has somethin' to say," the man said, pushing Gus forward.  And when Gus was silent, the thick fingers at his neck flexed.  " _Gus_."

"I'm sorry," Gus said, face turned away and voice gruff.

"He got carried away," the man continued for his student.  "It's one of the tough things 'bout wolves; they don't know when enough is enough."

"He ripped Knight's clothes..."

"I'm sorry, man.  I'll pay for 'em."

Nikko looked up quickly.  "No, I just meant...  That's why he's upset.  Not because of... the other stuff..."

Finally, the man smiled, stern draining away from his face.  "I gotcha.  Well, I'll pay for 'em anyways.  It's only right."  Then he stuck out his hand, as Ginger had done before.  "I'm Buck.  This is Gus, though I guess you've met."

"Yeah...  Ah, I'm Nikko."  He took the offered, meaty hand.  "He's Knight."

"Nice to meet ya."  Buck seemed like a good match for a wolf, a nice guy overall, patient, but able to be strict when necessary, and completely unafraid.  Most of those were traits Nikko seriously needed to work on.  "So, who brought ya in?  Anyone I know?"

Nikko's brows drew together.  "Brought me in?"

"Yeah.  Who introduced ya to the program?"

"Nobody..." Nikko answered.  "I just-"

"Hey, Buck!"  Ginger's voice interrupted as she and Penny approached, waving with the hand not balancing a plate of food.

Penny immediately rushed to Knight, standing too close.  "You're Knight, right?"

"Yes," Knight answered.

"I'm Penny."  Her tail wagged like crazy.  "Let's be friends!"

Knight smiled.  "Okay."

"Let's be mates!"

"Oy," Gus growled, stepping out of Buck's loosened grip.  He stood on Knight's other side.  " _Mine_."

"Liar."  Penny stuck her tongue out at Gus.  "Nobody would be mates with a stupid wolf who can't even use a human toilet yet."

"Shut it, ya dumb bitch."  Gus's long canines bared again.

"Oh, I'm _so_ scared of the big, bad wolf."

They continued to argue, Knight caught in between them, while Ginger and Buck caught up on each other's lives, always considerate of keeping Nikko involved in the conversation.  And while Nikko gave his attention to Buck as he regaled them with his acquisition and subsequent losing of Super Bowl tickets, he briefly thought that this must have been what it was like to have friends.  It had been so long, the feeling was almost completely forgotten, but a glimmer of it was there.

Friends.

He never would have guessed taking in a fox would reconnect him with people.


	5. Separation Anxiety, part one

 

 

The most important thing the picnic had cinched for Nikko was that, despite the human faces and bodies, the program's students _were_ animals.  All the other teachers felt so, to the point of not thinking any more of the students mating at the park than they would of two cats – actual, furry cats – going at it.  The students were learning to be human, yes, but they weren't there yet.

It meant, without a doubt, that the growing feelings Nikko had toward Knight were wrong.  They were wrong and despicable, and they were a recipe for heartbreak, because Knight could never feel the same way.

He had to put a distance between them, to keep his feelings from spiraling out of control.  He had to draw a line between teacher and student, and be strict about it.

He started two nights after the picnic, after he had made his decision.  After they had gone to bed in their separate rooms, as Nikko always insisted they did, he stayed up and waited.  And when Knight carefully pushed his door open, Nikko put on his strictest voice, warning.  " _Knight_."

"It's dark..." Knight replied quietly, a protest, though he didn't try to come any further into the room.

"Go to sleep.  When you wake up, it won't be dark anymore."

Somehow, Knight's voice became even quieter, saying "It's lonely..."  Nikko was surprised he even heard it, and it was a much harder point to address.

"Well...  You'll have to get used to it."

"But..."

" _Knight_.  Maybe someday I'll bring someone home who I'll want to be alone with.  Then you will _have_ to sleep alone.  You should get used to it now."

"Someone...  Someone else?  Another student?"

"More like...  Like a boyfriend or lover.  Okay?"

"Oh..."  He couldn't see Knight's face in the dark, but if it were nearly as crestfallen as his voice, Nikko may have relented.

Strict.  Strict.  Strict.  "Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes," Knight responded, followed by a choked " _Yiff_."

"Good.  Now go back to your room and stay there.  Go to sleep."

Knight whimpered, and Nikko almost took it all back right then.  But then the fox whispered "Okay..." and backed out of the room, closing the door gently behind him.

Nikko breathed a sigh, one high hurdle jumped clear.  He turned over, onto his side, ready to spend his first night in months sleeping alone.  His eyes closed, silence and calm again blanketing the dark apartment.

Until, through the thin wall that separated them, the heart-wrenching crying began.  Knight's devastated sobs tore through the night like a gale, carrying a world of pain and loneliness and sorrow.  Gods and angels alike would weep at the tale of woe Knight's cries told.

Nikko pulled his pillow over his head, pressing it to his ears as his tears began to fall.

 

 

 

 

Knight didn't try to come into Nikko's room the following night.  He didn't cry either, or if he did, it was too silent for Nikko to hear.  It was good, Nikko told himself, repeated like a mantra.  They were on their way to becoming proper teacher and student.  And if his bed suddenly felt a little too big, he would get over it.  He had spent years sleeping alone in that bed, bringing it with him from his old apartment when he moved to the current one.  He would get used to it again.

He should have put his foot down about this from the start.  It would have saved him a small handful of sleepless nights.

Other new rules were imposed as well.  Most of them were rules Nikko gave to himself.  Knight wasn't allowed to stand too close or hang off of him – _especially_ when Nikko was cooking – and they couldn't cuddle on the couch when watching TV, because teachers didn't do that with their students.  Nikko berated himself every time his fingers itched to seek out Knight's tail or hair – no petting, no cooing, no jerking off while thinking of Knight.  Proper, proper.

Knight never questioned the change, seeming to trust Nikko completely, but he was considerably more subdued.  He still smiled when he did well with his studies, but his eyes didn't light up like they used to.  When they went out shopping with Ginger and Penny, Buck and Gus, one Saturday afternoon, Knight just followed quietly, ignoring the other students' bickering and complaining about having to hide their ears and tails.  When Penny latched onto his arm, Knight snapped at her, but was otherwise silent.  Even when Buck paid for a new outfit of Knight's choice, to make up for the one Gus had ripped, his only response was a barely-heard "Thank you."

When they went to Buck's house for coffee afterward, Knight turned down the invitation to play, only sitting on the couch and staring out the window while Penny and Gus attempted to destroy each other at Mario Kart.

"Is he okay?" Ginger asked, tossing a worried glance to Knight through the doorway that separated living room and kitchen.

Nikko's eyes fell, staring at the dark coffee in front of him.  He clasped the mug with both hands; it burned.  "I think... he's mad at me.  I've had to be a bit strict with him lately."

"He doesn't seem angry; he seems depressed."

Buck cut in with "He looks like he's lost weight."

"Why have you been strict?"

Nikko's gaze moved from the coffee to a spot on the table, unable to look at the other two.  The weight of their accusations, their judgment, pulled his shoulders down into a slouch.  "It's just...  I've..."  Then he scowled.  "He's been _annoying_.  He's always underfoot, when I'm cooking, when I'm cleaning, when I'm working.  It's a pain."  It was a complete lie.  Nikko never once found Knight's constant presence annoying.  "I'm trying to establish some boundaries."

There was a beat of silence, then another, and then Ginger softly said "Well, I hope he feels better soon."

 

 

 

 

The grand opening of a new school year had Knight further withdrawing.  No doubt being left home alone all day added to the loneliness he was already feeling, but Nikko didn't know what to do for him.  He had to work, and it wasn't like he could take Knight to the school with him.  When he suggested that Knight spend the days with Penny or Gus, Knight turned the offer down.  He only wanted to be around Nikko, and it was as heartbreaking as it was affirming that this needed to be done.

It wasn't exactly easy for Nikko, either.  He worried about Knight constantly, spacing out at the most inconvenient times, wondering what Knight was doing, if he would be okay, if he would still be there when Nikko came home.  So caught up in his concern he was, he lost track of his script in class.  He tripped over his words and misspoke; he introduced a lesson on Ancient Egypt by talking about "The child pharaoh, King _Butt_ ," which the kids found hysterical.  At least he could make _them_ smile, even as they affectionately nicknamed him 'Professor Buttertongue'.

If nothing else, in the very least, Knight was still there to greet him when he came home every day.  When he pushed the apartment's mahogany door open, he would find Knight waiting for him at the end of the short hallway that bottlenecked from the doorway to open into the living room.  Usually Knight would nod with a small pout.  They would greet with 'I'm home's and 'welcome back's.  Until one Wednesday evening, Nikko returned to find Knight in tears, and he immediately dropped his bag and rushed to the fox.

"What's wrong!?" Nikko asked, eyes scanning Knight's body for injuries.  There were band-aids on Knight's fingers, applied haphazardly, half of them crumpled or hanging off his knuckles.  "Did you get hurt?"

"I-"  Knight sniffled as fat tears rolled down his cheeks.  "I'm sor-  _Yiff_.  Sorry."

"What happened?"

The only answer was Knight bursting out in loud sobs and pressing his bandaged hands to his eyes.

"Knight, I-"  A lump corked his throat, dry and tough to swallow, but he got it down.  "I can't help you if I don't know what's wrong."

Knight moved a hand to silently point into the living room, and Nikko followed the lead, slipping past Knight in search of what, exactly, was so distressing.

He found it immediately.

In one corner of the living room, near the large, glass door that led out to the balcony, the carpet had been shredded.  Off-white shags of yarn were strewn about the area like snowfall; torn fragments of what was once pristine rug seemed to spell out 'You're not getting your deposit back'.  The dirty wooden floor beneath showed its naked self, gouges bared like scars.

Knight had taken up a new habit – digging.

Nikko turned to the sniveling fox hiding behind the entryway, his heart breaking again and again when Knight cowered at his approach.  But his touch was gentle as he took Knight's hands, analyzing the poor attempt at first-aid.  It was a tremendous effort to keep himself from kissing the battered fingertips.  "Did you hurt yourself doing this?"  And when Knight only nodded and sniffled, Nikko gave him a downy smile.  "Come on.  Let's fix you up."

He led Knight into the bathroom and had him sit on the closed lid of the toilet while he perched himself on the edge of the bathtub, first-aid supplies at the ready.  Then, one by one, he took Knight's fingers and removed the band-aids.  Underneath, Knight's fingers were torn and red, blood smeared from where his nails had torn.  One nail was ripped half off, and even Nikko winced as the bandage was eased off.  Knight's instinct to dig didn't seem to have conferred with his human body.  Unfortunately, it was the body that suffered the consequences.

The dangling remnant of nail was clipped away and peroxide was applied to clean and disinfect.  Each finger was given the same careful treatment, delicately re-dressed in Johnson-and-Johnson's finest.  The worst ones were swathed in gauze.  Knight's cries had dwindled to sniffles and whimpers, and when he _gulped_ , Nikko looked up at him, meeting red-rimmed, yellow eyes.

"I...  I didn't mean to," Knight said, voice forced.  "I didn't realize what I was doing, and then it hurt and I saw what I did and...  And..."  He trailed off into a keening whimper that probably would have turned into sobs again if Nikko hadn't put a hand to his cheek.

It was soft and warm.  They'd had barely any physical contact since Nikko made the decision to put distance between them.  He missed touching Knight; he missed the energy that flowed between them when skin pressed to skin.  He wanted so badly to stay just as they were forever – he wanted so badly to lean forward.

Body warming with blush, Nikko yanked his hand away.

"It's okay."  Nikko's eyes pulled away.  "You couldn't help it."

"I won't-  I won't do it again.  I promise."

"Okay."  It took a sheer force of will not to reach out and finger Knight's soft hair, comb through his limp tail, kiss his downturned lips.  "It'll be okay."

It wasn't okay.

The following day, Nikko returned home to no Knight, and his heart leapt into his throat so hard he almost puked.  There was no way to mask all the fear in his voice as he called out a weak "Knight?"

A moment later the tip of a black horn and a single yellow eye peeked around the corner.  Nikko breathed a premature sigh of relief, and then the crying started.  "I-  I-  I broke-"  Knight couldn't speak through the sobs, and he really didn't need to.

"Are your hands okay?"

Knight stepped into the entrance hall, hands held out.  Most of the band-aids were gone, crimson fingertips almost glowing with visible pain.  The two wrapped in gauze were still protected, the cushy bandaging secured by medical tape.  Perhaps they should all be done up like that, though it would make feeding himself difficult.

"Okay," Nikko said, again and again.  "It'll be okay."  Because he didn't know what else to say.

Then it was back to the bathroom, Nikko making it a point to not even glance at the living room as they went by.  The fingers were again cleaned and dressed, now five of them bad enough to need the thick gauze.  Afterwards, he sent Knight to bed for a nap, promising a nice dinner when he woke up.  Only when the door to Knight's room was softly shut did Nikko go to inspect the damage.

The new rips were right next to the old, making one big hole in the carpet.  The strands of rug that were cleaned up the night before had been replaced, and the area was dotted with blood.

Nikko's eyes went wet as he began to clean up again.  He just didn't know what to do for Knight.  The digging was due to anxiety, that much was obvious, but it wasn't like he could quit his job.  And he couldn't let Knight start sleeping with him again.  He had hoped with time Knight would get used to the new arrangement, but instead he seemed to be getting worse, leaving Nikko at a loss.

His own tears fell to the carpet, mixing with the drops of Knight's blood.

 

 

 

 

Over the weekend, Knight seemed fine.  Or, as fine as he had been, anyway.  While on Friday Nikko didn't even need to say anything when Knight greeted him with a hung head, leading him straight to the bathroom, immediately reaching for the gauze that he hadn't bothered putting away, on Saturday he didn't wake up to the mess he expected.  Instead, he woke up to a mess in the kitchen.  A blanket of dark sand spilled over the counter and floor, three crumpled filters littered like decoration, and a pouting fox sat on the floor, sniffling while trying to comb coffee grounds out of his tail with fingers trapped behind layers of bandaging and tape.

Nikko actually smiled at the scene.  "Thanks for the attempt."

There were no other incidents all weekend.  Knight didn't dig – didn't even look like he wanted to – and by Sunday afternoon his fingers were healed enough to replace the gauze with thinner band-aids.  By Sunday evening a new rug had been bought to cover the digging spot.

By Monday evening, the rug had been flung aside and more of the carpet and flooring shredded.  Knight's fingers were bloodied and raw; his whimpers were of pain, fear, and self-loathing.

"We'll do something about this," Nikko promised as his thumbs rubbed circles into the backs of Knight's hands.  "We'll figure something out."

 

 

 

 

He hadn't felt this lost since junior high school, when he realized there was probably more to his desire to see the most popular boy in school blatantly naked than a want for friendship.  When it occurred to him that he just might be gay, a million and seven questions bowed before him, and he gave each of them fair attention over the course of his life.  Some of them he still hadn't gotten to, like if he would ever get married, if he would have children, if he would be lynched in a mob.  Some of the questions were difficult to answer, taking much of the time he offered, but finally received resolution.  He came out to his family in high school and was eventually accepted after the initial shock had dissipated.

He didn't even remember that popular boy's name anymore, which was almost funny, considering what a catalyst he was.  Nikko snorted a laugh, not that it was really funny, as he stared blankly at the scratching pad for cats in his hands.

"Is it really that amusing?" a voice asked from beside him, making Nikko jump.

Dark axinite eyes flecked with laughter smiled down at Nikko when he looked up.  A gorgeous grin stole away Nikko's voice, leaving him mute.

It was the hot veterinarian from across the street.

Hot Veterinarian From Across The Street chuckled, even as he apologized.  "Sorry to frighten you.  You just seemed lost."

"N-No, I..."  Awkward struck again.  "Thought of a funny joke suddenly."

"Perhaps you'll tell it to me someday."

"Ah...  I would probably ruin it."

The guy smiled deeper, chuckled again, voice like a soothing summer day.  Then he said "You live in the building across from mine, don't you?  I've seen you around."

"Yeah...  And you're a vet, right?"  When a dark brow was raised at him, Nikko's eyes turned away, cheeks warming.  "I've seen you around as well..."  Then his eyes widened, darting back to the handsome face before him.  "I mean, I've seen you at the animal clinic.  I'm not, like... a stalker or something..."

"I figured that was the case."  Sometimes Nikko hated that it was so easy to tease him.  At that moment, though, he didn't mind so much.  Not if it allowed him to see those perfect, white teeth.  "I'm Darryl," those teeth said.  "It's nice to finally meet you."

"I'm Nikko.  It's... nice to meet you too."

"What kind of cat do you have?"

"Huh?"  Not the most intelligent sound he had ever made.  And when Darryl gestured to the scratching box still in his hand, Nikko finally remembered where he was.  "Oh!  No, I don't have a cat.  Actually, I have a-  A fox."  Kind of.  "A fennec fox."  Sort of.

" _Wow_."  Darryl's face somehow managed to brighten further, his love of animals shining obvious.  "They're pretty rare."

"You have no idea..."

"I've never actually seen a fennec before.  Do they need scratchers?"

"Ah..."  Nikko looked at the thing again, then set it back on the shelf.  "Actually, he's started digging, and it's tearing up the carpet.  I was looking for something that would keep his hands-  ...  _Paws_ busy."

"Have you tried a covered litter box?"

"I don't think he'd fit..."

Darryl's head tilted a bit; his brow crinkled.  "Fennecs are pretty small, though, aren't they?"

"Knight is big for a fennec."

The smile and amusement came back in force.  "His name is Knight?"

Nikko could feel his cheeks flush further, and he became positive Darryl would soon be convinced he was a lobster-hybrid.  "Yeah...  Because he tries to act tough."

A hearty, brilliant laugh drew a smile to Nikko's own face.  "Well, let's go check out the dog section.  I think they have sandboxes for little diggers that might work for Sir Fox."

They were able to find a suitable box, one that would fit well in the apartment, giving Knight enough to play with, but wouldn't be in the way.  Darryl was kind enough to drive Nikko to a hardware store to pick up a bag of packable dirt and a narrow tarp to control any spillage, and then drove him home.  He offered to help carry everything up, shining axinite telling how much he also wanted to meet the purported fox, but Nikko refused, citing a messy and embarrassing apartment.  There was no way Nikko was about to let the man meet the fox hybrid.

Before Nikko could exit the car, Darryl's voice hitched up an octave to say "This may be a bit forward, but..."  Then he paused, glanced away for a moment, showing something other than complete confidence for the first time.  It was charming.  "Are you seeing anyone?"

For a long time, Nikko wanted to hear that from someone.  He had even dreamed of hearing it from this man.  That hint of interest; that promise of more to come; that prayer, a twin star for each of them.  Hearing it now, at last, after so long without any sparks coming his way...  Nikko wasn't nearly as excited as he had thought he would be.  There was no giddiness, no elation, only an instant worry about Knight.

It was because of that worry that Nikko answered with "No, I'm not."  Because he _wasn't_ seeing anyone.  He wasn't seeing Knight – he never would be; he never could be.  Knight was an animal, Nikko's student and kind-of pet, and teachers didn't date their students, and they certainly didn't date their pets.  "I'm single."

Darryl's smile gleamed.  "Then, would you like to get coffee sometime?"

Nikko's own smile was timid.  "Sure."

Numbers and smiles were exchanged, with a heaping serving of thanks on Nikko's part for the help and ride.  Then, with the sandbox and tarp under one arm and bag of dirt under the other, work bag across his shoulders, loaded like a pack horse, Nikko lumbered his way up the three flights of stairs to his apartment.

Knight was waiting for him, as usual, when he opened the door, and the heavy heartbeat he should have felt minutes ago finally began to thud in his chest at the sight of a miserable fox.  "Sorry I'm late," Nikko started as a greeting.  "I was looking fo-"  Then his heart stopped completely, the pervert.  "Where are your pants?"

"In the bathroom," Knight answered.  The length of his shirt was the only thing keeping him from being indecent.  "I couldn't get them back on because of my fingers."  Each of Knight's fingers had been covered in gauze and tape, divesting him of any dexterity, but also preventing further damage to the abused digits.  He had been left with sandwiches and carrot sticks, finger foods and juice boxes with the straws already inserted, and strict instructions not to try holding anything glass.

Nikko couldn't help a small smile.  His fox was too cute.

Too... too cute.

His smile dipped as he told Knight "Go get them.  I'll help you."

Knight turned and headed into the apartment, his tail hanging limp behind him.  Nikko began to drag his purchases in, leaving the bag of dirt by the door to carry to plastic sandbox and tarp to the living room.  The carpet didn't have any more damage than it had the previous day – the gauze worked well; even if Knight had dug, there wouldn't be any more effect than if he had hit the spot repeatedly with a pillow.  It worked, but it wasn't a long-term solution.  Knight could never live independently with permanently taped fingers; he couldn't graduate; he couldn't leave.

Knight returned just as Nikko broke open the plastic wrapping that contained the tarp.

Nikko took the bundle from him and fished the trunks out of a pant leg, not even using up the energy to wonder how they got in there.  "Turn around," he instructed, and when Knight did he crouched down, holding the underwear open in spread fingers.  "Now step in."  Knight did so, and Nikko pulled up the trunks, thumbs wrapped around the elastic waistband.  He got a glimpse of Knight's bare ass as the cloth rounded the soft globes, eyes lingering too long on that precise place where the fox tail grew out of human flesh.  It made Nikko's cock jump, and he bit his lip.  His hands made a wide berth in front, making sure all of Knight's bits and pieces were covered before setting the elastic against the fox's waist.  He just had to feed Knight's tail through the hole they had sewn in before they moved on to the pants, which were a much easier affair.

Once dressed, Nikko turned Knight's attention to the sandbox, speaking as he opened and laid out the tarp over the damaged portion of carpet.  "I hope this helps.  Since the digging is instinct, perhaps diversion will be more effective."

"Oh."  Knight watched on, clearly not understanding what Nikko meant, which was just as well, since Nikko hardly understood it himself.  It was Darryl's solution to the problem Nikko had outlined, and he trusted the suggestion of a vet, even if Knight wasn't quite the same as Darryl's usual patients.

The sandbox was placed on the tarp, looking like any other pet owner's setup, and then Nikko fetched the bag of dirt.  Knight watched curiously as the box was filled, and then Nikko waved him over.

"Here," Nikko said, running his own hand through the dirt, balling a clump of the coarse grit in his fist.  It was rather soothing, he had to admit.  "When you feel the need to dig, dig in here.  It'll feel better on your fingers."

Sitting next to the box, Knight dug his bandaged fingers into the dirt, pulling up handfuls and letting them fall again.  Then his other hand dove in, raking through the dark soil, seeming to take great pleasure in moving it around.  It made Nikko smile, hopeful.  This just might work.

"How is it?"

"I like it," Knight replied, tiny smile coming to his own face.

"I'm glad."  He really was.  "And don't worry about making a mess."  The carpet would have to be replaced if he ever moved anyway.  "Just be sure to wash your hands afterward."

"Okay."

Nikko stood, brushing his hands off against each other.  "When your fingers are healed more, we'll take the gauze off and you can try it for real."

"Okay."  Then Knight looked up at him, a measure of relief in his yellow eyes.  "Thank you, Nikko."

He wanted to touch.  He wanted to touch _so bad_ , to run his hands through that uneven hair, to pinch a foxy ear between his fingers, to tug on that twitching tail that bled caramel over the white carpet.

Instead, he grabbed up empty wrapping, holding it in a too-tight grip as he smiled.


	6. Separation Anxiety, part two

 

 

 

The call came on Friday.

Knight's digging box seemed to be working so far.  On Wednesday evening they took the gauze off his fingers, with Nikko inspecting the torn nails and skin.  They were healing nicely, scabs and new skin growing quickly to replace what had been ripped away.  On Thursday, Nikko came home to a few granules of dirt in the carpet, but by and large the area was clean.  Knight proudly proclaimed that he had used the box when the urge to dig hit, and had even cleaned up after himself.  Nikko rewarded him with a quick pat on the head and an extra serving of meatloaf.

On Friday morning, Nikko secretly hid some chocolate sealed in a Ziploc bag and a card praising Knight deep in the dirt to act as positive reinforcement, a reward for digging in the box instead of the carpet.

On Friday afternoon, his lunch break was interrupted by his cell phone buzzing in his bag, indicating an incoming call.  There was a flash of worry as Nikko dug his phone out of his bag, afraid that Knight had some kind of emergency.  He couldn't think of any other reason someone would call him at work.

It was Darryl.

Surprise coursed through Nikko as he pressed the icon to answer, greeting with a tentative "Hello?"

"Hey," Darryl greeted.  "Am I calling at a bad time?"

"No...  It's fine.  I'm on lunch right now."

Both the relief and the smile were evident in Darryl's rich voice.  "Oh, good.  I was afraid I would end up bothering if I called during the day."

"Nah...  You have impeccable timing."

"Awesome."  Darryl's chuckle was like honey.  "So, would you be up for coffee tonight?"

Nikko ran though everything he had to do, which was nothing.  Nothing that would justify refusing.  He could pick up some take-out on the way home to feed Knight and probably have enough time to change his clothes and freshen up a bit.  "Yeah," he said at last.  "I'd like that."

"How does six sound?"

"Sounds perfect."

"Great, it's a date then."

Nikko's grip on his phone tightened.  "Is it?"

"Is that alright?"  There was no tension in Darryl's voice; no awkwardness.  Only patience, as if he knew what he was getting into with Nikko.

Two heartbeats and a breath passed, and Nikko answered, "Yeah.  It's a date."

Darryl's vocal smile came back.  "Alright.  I'll pick you up at six, then."

"Yeah, I'll...  I'll be waiting outside."

They hung up, and Nikko was left staring blankly at his phone until the bell rang.

 

 

 

 

He came home to the rare sight of Knight smiling, and it made him miss the days when Knight smiled all the time.

Knight held up the card Nikko had buried, polka-dotted with dirty fingerprints.  "Nikko!  Thank you for this!  It-"  He started to cry then, silent tears spilling down his cheeks, leaving Nikko at a loss.  "It made me really happy."

Ah.  These were tears Nikko could handle.  "Well, you deserve it for being good."

"I'll be good!"  Knight rushed forward as he spoke.  "I'll always be good!  So-!"  But he stopped when Nikko took a step back, pressing himself against the door.

Knight would say he would be a good boy, so please let him back into Nikko's bedroom, Nikko's bubble, Nikko's life.  He would say he was sorry for whatever it was he did to make Nikko stay away from him.  He would accept any punishment, any atonement, if Nikko would only cuddle with him again.

But Knight hadn't done anything wrong.  Nikko was the one at fault.  Nikko was the one who couldn't see an animal for an animal, couldn't keep his thoughts about an animal appropriate.  Nikko was the problem, and Knight had to suffer for it, because Nikko had no idea what else to do.

"I- I bought some kung-pao chicken from the Chinese place for dinner," Nikko said, gathering himself and stepping past Knight into the apartment.  "Tonight I'm going out with... with a friend, so it'll be a little early."

Knight had followed him to the kitchen, but stopped at the entryway and watched Nikko take the styrofoam boxes out of the bag he carried.  "A friend?"  Any trace of smile Knight held before was gone.  "Is it Ginger?"

"No," Nikko answered.  "It's a friend I met the other day."

"Is it... a lover?"

Nikko's face warmed and he turned to pull some plates out of the cupboard.  "Not... yet.  Maybe someday, but...  We only just met."

"Someday?"  Knight's voice was a whisper.

"Maybe."  When he turned back around with plates in hand, however, Knight was gone.

He sighed, dished out the cheap Chinese food, and carried the plates to the dining table.  He found Knight in the living room, chin resting on the armrest of the couch as he watched the purple-painted sky out the sliding glass doors.  They ate in silence, and then when Nikko retreated to his room to change his clothes, Knight didn't follow.  He rarely did these days.

As he exchanged his suit and tie for a gray sweater and slacks, Nikko wondered if he should call the date off.  Knight was clearly upset, hurt, and lonely.  But this was something they both needed to learn how to navigate, and making phone calls was far too terrifying besides.

He would make it up to Knight, somehow.  He would buy him clothes or toys or take him somewhere or _something_.

Six o'clock neared.  Nikko passed by the living room, found Knight back to laying on the couch.  The TV was on, but the fox wasn't watching it, attention turned back out the window.

"I'm leaving now, Knight."

"Okay."  Knight didn't bother to look at him.

"I have my cell phone, so if you need anything, just call."

"Okay."

"Knight..."  He let out a breath, thought about cancelling the date again, then walked out the door.

Darryl was already waiting for him at the bottom of the building's stairs, looking sharp in a long, black coat.  He stood up straighter when Nikko approached, and after a longer glance asked "Is everything alright?"

Nikko had to wonder what he looked like right then, to prompt such a question.  "Yeah," he answered.  "Everything's fine."

"Are you sure?"  He began leading the way to his parked car.

"Yeah," Nikko said again.  "I just... think Knight is mad at me for leaving him alone again."

"I see.  Separation anxiety?"

"I think so, or something like that."

"How did the sandbox work out?"

"Like a charm," Nikko replied, a hint of a smile coming to his face.

They talked their way to the car and they talked through the drive.  They made it to Starbucks and talked there, too, about animals and fifth-graders and families.  Nikko learned that Darryl was married for a short time – no kids – until he finally came to terms with his sexuality.  Darryl learned that Nikko hadn't spoken to his own family in two years.  They talked a lot, got to know each other well, and every step of the way Nikko was sure Darryl would get that look on his face indicating he had just really realized exactly what he had gotten himself into before politely excusing himself and leaving in a hurry.

Instead, they had to be politely told by the staff that the place was closing.

When they were back at the bottom step of Nikko's apartment building, Darryl gave a soft, sweet smile.  "So...  Can I kiss you?  You can say 'no' if you want; I won't be offended."

"Yeah," Nikko replied slowly, unsure.  He was anxious to get back to Knight, worried that he had left the fox alone for longer than he had meant to, but he also wanted to pursue this thing with Darryl, for his sanity, if nothing else.  "It's okay."

And Darryl moved in, invading Nikko's space, breathing Nikko's air.  The kiss was short and tame, plush lips pressing gently into thin.  It was a kitten's paw of a kiss, and then it was over.  They stared for a moment, a meeting between brown eyes, faces close, and then Nikko stepped back.

"Th-Thank you, for tonight.  I had fun."

"Me too," Darryl said, smile glowing like embers.  "Can I call you again?"

"Yeah.  Please do."

"Alright."  Then Darryl began to back up, a twinkle in his axinite eyes and silly grin on his face as he tried to hold Nikko's gaze, all of which was ruined when he backed into a bench.  Nikko held back outright laughter, managing to keep it at a polite giggle as Darryl somehow majestically kept his balance and righted himself.

Nikko watched until Darryl was at his car, parked at the curb of the street that separated their buildings.  When Darryl was seated behind the wheel, Nikko finally turned and headed up the stairs.

The apartment was the same as it had been when he left, hours before.  He could hear the TV on in the living room, but no foxes appeared to greet him.

"Knight?" Nikko called softly as he stepped further into the apartment.  No response came, and his heart sped up, numerous awful things flitting through his mind in an instant, until he reached the living room.

Knight was asleep on the couch, curled into a ball, most of his face buried into his fluffy tail.  He was breathing deeply, oblivious to Nikko's presence.

For a moment, just for a moment, Nikko allowed himself to be weak.  He kneeled by the couch, gazing at Knight's sleeping face.  There were tracks running from the softly closed eyes into the depths of the furry tail, a treasure map made up of Knight's tears.  It broke Nikko's heart, and he reached up to run a finger over Knight's cheek, which led the way to his hands raking through Knight's hair.  He rubbed a soft fox ear between his thumb and forefinger – his Knight was so beautiful – but when the urge to lean over and kiss that furred ear hit him with an overwhelming force, he let go and stood up.

A blanket – plaid, blue, synthetic-fluff – was pulled from the back of the couch, laid over Knight.  The sleeping fox didn't stir.

 

 

 

 

A week passed, then another, and then maybe another or more.  Nikko continued to see Darryl.  They went out every Friday night, sometimes Saturday too.  An occasional Tuesday, Wednesday.  Their relationship progressed slowly.  Being a gay, interracial couple brought on a share of stares and sneers, and it took a few dates for Nikko to grow comfortable enough to let Darryl take his hand in public.  Though Nikko spent a few dinners at Darryl's apartment, they hadn't had sex yet, but Darryl was patient and kind and never asked or pressured him about it.

Darryl did ask about when he would get to meet Knight, though.  After weeks of dating, he had of course caught on to how important Knight was to Nikko.  He clearly wanted to meet what he thought was a small, furry animal.  Nikko had no idea how to tell him that his image of Knight was surely very wrong.  If their relationship continued to progress, Nikko decided, he would explain everything and introduce them, but for the time being, he dodged the suggestion that he play host one of these nights.  He claimed his place was messy, or being repainted, or that he had accidentally left food out for too long and the whole place stank of rotten fish.  He lied, and then offered to pay for dinner at a family restaurant instead.  If Darryl was suspicious, he never said anything.

And Knight.  Knight continued to withdraw.  His smile was extinct but his tears were in abundance.  He continued to lose weight, picking at his meals with little interest, despite Nikko's insistence that he eat more.  His studies were okay, but even praise for a job well-done brought little reaction from the fox.  Nikko worried about him so much, he spent his nights half sick.

Nikko didn't know what to do for Knight.  Several times he considered calling Jack for advice, but each time he became so terrified that Knight would be taken away from him that he didn't dare.  In the end, in an attempt to ease Knight's loneliness, Nikko called Ginger and asked if she would babysit for a night, just as a trial, to see how it went.

Ginger and Penny arrived with smiles and 'my pleasure's, and for once Nikko was able to go out with a small measure of comfort.

His ease came too soon.

Dinner had just been placed in front of them when his cell began its tune, and with a brow creased in curiosity, he tossed an "Excuse me" to Darryl while fishing the device out of his bag.  His chest squeezed painfully in fear when the display showed Ginger's number.

"You need to come home," she said straight away after Nikko's tentative greeting.

"What happened?"  His stomach dropped; it was a good thing he hadn't eaten yet.

"Knight bit Penny."

"What!?"  Nikko was already on his feet, grabbing for his coat.

"He's really agitated and I don't think he should be alone, but we need to go before a real fight breaks out.  Please, just come back."

"I'm on my way."  He shoved his phone back into his bag and pulled out his wallet, hands shaking so hard it was difficult to keep hold of anything.  The whole time, he sputtered apologies to Darryl.  "I have to go.  I-I'm so sorry.  I'll make it up to you."  He pulled several bills out of his wallet, far more than the cost of dinner, but he didn't have time to figure out the tab, and he didn't want to dump the cost on Darryl.  He practically slammed the money on the table in his frantic haste.

"What's wrong?"

"Knight is-  He's in trouble."

"Oh, my God."  Darryl stood too, genuine concern in his voice.  "Is he sick?"

"No," Nikko answered, throwing on his coat, flinging his bag across his shoulders.  "But I-  I need to check on him."

"Do you want me to drive you?"

"No.  I-"  He was wasting time.  "I've got to go.  I'll call you."

Then he bolted, tearing out of the restaurant and towards his apartment building as fast as his twig legs would take him.  He didn't even have the wherewithal to worry about how rude he had just been to Darryl, how it probably would have actually been faster to accept the ride.  He didn't know what he would find when he got home, he just knew he had to get there, _now_.

He was out of breath when he reached his door; his hands clawed at his key, trying to get it in the lock, but he dropped it.  Cursing, he kicked the door, a tiny tantrum, before bending to pick the key up.

The door opened, then, Ginger holding it for him as he slid in past her.  "What happened?"

"Pen just wouldn't leave him alone, so he lashed out and bit her.  Got her arm."

Nikko's throat choked up and he stepped into the living room.  Knight was on the couch, slightly curled, his tail bristled and stiff.  His chin was tilted down and his eyes were narrowed, glaring death at Penny, who was on the other side of the room, growling and holding a blood-stained towel to her arm.  But when Knight saw Nikko come into the room, his eyes widened, fear and shame darkening the yellow irises.  His head dropped, lying in a tight ball on the couch, and he covered his face with his tail.

With a faint sigh, Nikko turned to Penny.  She had stopped growling, but her face rested in a deep frown, nose crinkled.  "Are you okay?" Nikko asked, but the only response he got was a whip to the face with long, blonde hair as Penny whirled and stormed off towards the door.

"She'll be fine," Ginger said, taking up her leather coat from the arm of the couch.  She gave a smile to Knight, but there was no way he could have seen it with his entire face hidden behind his fluffy tail.

"I'm so sorry about this," Nikko said.  "If there's anything I can do to make up for it..."

"Don't worry about it."  Ginger put a hand to his arm, smile sad, but sincere.  "It's partially her own fault.  I told her to leave him alone, but she wouldn't listen.  _I'm_ sorry I couldn't control them and it ended up ruining your date."

Nikko thought of Darryl – lovely, kind Darryl – and felt sorry at last about how embarrassed he must have been, being run out on like that.  He wouldn't blame Darryl if he never wanted to see him again, but Nikko, for once, trusted that wouldn't be the case.  Not with Darryl.  He would have to make it up to him.

He apparently had to make a lot of things up to a lot of people.

Nikko shook his head.  "It's not your fault.  We just..."  He looked over at Knight, heart breaking over the still fox.  "We just need to figure this out."

"Well, good luck."  Ginger smiled again and patted his arm.  "Call me and let me know how he's doing, okay?"

With agreement, thanks, and a wan smile of his own, Nikko saw Ginger and Penny out the door.

Knight was still in his ball of sorrow when Nikko returned to the living room.  "Knight," Nikko said, trying to sound strict.  "Knight, you can't do that."  There was no response.  "Why did you bite her?"

"She bothered me too much."

"Knight, this isn't like you.  What's gotten into you?"  As if he didn't know.  "I thought you were a good boy."

Finally, Knight unraveled, uncurling and standing up in a flurry of fur and grace.  "If I'm a good boy, then why-!"  His fists clenched and the fire in his eyes wavered, flooded with tears.  "Why do you leave me alone all the time!?"  Then he bound over to his sandbox, flinging himself to the ground and burying his fingers into the dirt.  In an attempt to comfort himself, Knight's hands clawed at the soil, digging deep trenches before ultimately gripping clumps of dirt in tight fists and falling forward.  He landed face-first in the sandbox, his arms moving to wrap themselves and dirt around his head, hiding.

Nikko could only watch his fox have a breakdown, trying desperately to hold on to himself.  "Knight-" he croaked, and then finally managed to make his feet move.  He kneeled beside Knight, hands reaching, but held back from touching.  "Knight, I'm sorry.  I know you've been lonely; that's why I invited Penny over."

"I don't want Penny!"  Knight raised his head just enough to yell, dirt and mud covering his face as his tears dripped to the box below.  His fists pounded once into the soil.  "I want Nikko!  But-!  But Nikko doesn't want me anymore!"

"Yes, I do!"  In ways Knight could never understand, and it was terrifying.  "I do want you, Knight.  But I need to be around humans sometimes, too."

"I want to be human!"  Knight was facing him now, tears pouring a flood down his cheeks, mud-drops falling to the hopeless carpet.

"I know," Nikko said.  "That's why you're here, to become human.  And you're doing _so_ well.  Someday, for sure, you will be human and then...  And then you'll leave me, and I'll be the one left alone.  So before then, I need...  I...  For now, while I have a chance-"

"No!"  Knight stood then, hurt and betrayal in his yellow eyes.  "I will never leave Nikko!"

"Knight...  You'll have to.  That's how it works.  You know that."

A whimper escaped from Knight's throat, and then his brows drew into a scowl.  He shouted "No!" once more, and then bolted, running to his room and slamming the door behind him.


	7. Separation Anxiety, part three

 

 

 

Nikko turned his head, pressed his face into the strong shoulder beside him.  It wasn't the body he really wanted to be leaning on, but it was there and it was warm and it was _normal_.

He had barely seen Knight at all since their fight a week before.  The fox just stayed in his room, refusing to answer Nikko's calls.  The few times Nikko barged into Knight's room to check on him, he found Knight in bed, staring at him with orphan eyes.  When Nikko tried to talk to him, Knight's only response was to roll over, turning his back to him.

He was worried sick, hardly able to sleep at night, relying on a constant supply of coffee and energy drinks to get him through the day.  The only thing keeping him going were the small, dirt fingerprints he would find in the kitchen and bathroom when he came home from work, so he believed Knight was at least eating during the day.

Darryl hadn't been angry about being ditched, bless his heart.  And he understood about Nikko not wanting to go out during the week.  Nikko agreed to go out on Friday, though.  He needed a distraction to calm his nerves and settle his turmoiled stomach, at least for a little while.  So they went for coffee at their Starbucks, kept their conversation off of foxes and on world news and recent scientific discoveries, and then they headed back to Darryl's place for dinner.

But always – _always_ – in the back of his mind was Knight.  He was pretty sure Darryl knew it, too, even if the other man didn't bring it up.  Darryl didn't force him to talk, for which Nikko was eternally grateful, and when they settled on the couch, Darryl put his arm around Nikko, held him close, and didn't mention the teardrops that soaked into his crisp dress shirt.

Nikko leaned up and kissed Darryl's neck, his jaw, the bottom of his lip.  The quiet, still comfort wasn't enough of a distraction.  He needed more, needed to be taken out of his mind completely.

"Take me to the bedroom," he whispered, more forward and desperate than he had ever been in his life.

Darryl pulled away a bit, eyes searching Nikko's face.  "Are you sure?"

"Yes.  Please.  I...  I need you."

For a long time, what seemed like forever, Darryl studied Nikko, as though looking for some kind of confirmation.  In the end, though, he was only a man, and eventually he gave in, scooping Nikko up with ease and carrying him to the dark bedroom.

And as Nikko was laid upon the bed, he worried.  He worried as his sweater was pulled over his head and his pants slid free from his body.  He worried as touches and kisses were caressed across his body, warming him and making him rise.  He worried as slickened fingers entered him and stretched him, and he worried through the tearing of foil and snapping of rubber.  He worried about what the punishment for his transgressions would be, yet each and every time Darryl paused and asked if this was alright, if Nikko was sure, his response was always a "Yes," or a "Keep going," or a "Please."

He only stopped worrying when Darryl finally entered him, pushing in slowly, with the utmost of care.  The burning pleasure pulled his thoughts away from everything but the intense feeling of being filled.  And when the gentle, careful thrusting took up a steady rhythm, Nikko couldn't think of anything at all.  His arms and legs wrapped around the body above him; his lips kissed any bit of flesh that came close enough.  He panted and moaned involuntarily, and he heard his own voice say lewd things – "Yes, right there."  "It's so good."  "Harder!" – without his permission.

Darryl's thrusts became less gentle.  He sat up on his knees, pushed Nikko's knees to his chest, pounded into the raised and exposed hole.  It was perfect.  The only things in Nikko's head were hot pleasure and the erotic sounds of flesh slapping flesh, rocking him out of his mind and into a world where only physical gratification existed.

He was _mewling_ in pleasure when Darryl's hand moved to take hold of his cock, and then Nikko screamed out his orgasm, hands clutching at the sheets beneath him as he painted the night white.

Hardly a few thrusts later, Darryl's hips pressed one last time, lodging himself inside Nikko and grunting out his own release.  And then the room went quiet.

Nikko's body was gently lowered to the bed.  Darryl's softening dick slowly pulled out, and he moved away, presumably to toss the condom.  Nikko hadn't even caught his breath before the week's – month's? – stress and fatigue caught up with him, pulling him fast asleep.

 

 

 

 

He woke up at a time that was too early to say he had spent the night, too late to say he hadn't.  Darryl lay next to him, looking handsome even in his sleep, and the covers had been pulled over them.

By all rights, it would have made perfect sense for him to roll over and go back to sleep, but the incessant, gnawing worry that he had been carrying for weeks had returned, chewing a hole in his gut and pulling him out of the warm bed.

Darryl woke up while Nikko fumbled into his clothes in the darkness, his honey voice thick with sleep as he asked "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah, sorry.  I...  I need to get home."

"Do you want me to walk you there?"

"No, it's alright," Nikko answered, even as Darryl slid from the bed and pulled his boxers on.  "You should go back to slee-"  He cut off when Darryl embraced him from behind, burying his face into Nikko's hair.  They were silent a moment, and then finally Nikko said "Thank you, for everything."

It felt so final.

Darryl walked him to the door, Nikko gathering his things along the way.  They kissed, Darryl promised "I'll call you," and then Nikko turned and left the apartment across the street behind.

It was still dark outside; a cool autumn wind rustled Nikko's coat as he hurried to his own building, like icy fingers that pricked at his spine.  The street was an intermission between scenes, and he wondered what he would find in the next act.

There was one light on in the apartment, which was strange, and no Knight to greet him, which was regrettably less so.  It would be totally normal for Knight to be asleep at this hour, but the single light shining in the depths of the apartment had him calling out softly "Knight?"  No response came – expected – and he continued into the living room.

His heart stopped.  Fear and panic ripped through him, tearing at his soul, and for a moment he knew what it felt like to lose everything.

Knight lay face down on the living room floor, four paces away from his beloved sandbox.  He wasn't moving at all, not a breath, not a flutter, and his complexion was deathly pale.  And, _god_ , when did he get so thin?

Nikko dropped everything in his hands as he rushed to Knight's side, shaking the immobile fox and crying out "Knight!  _Knight_!"  There was no response, no pained moan or injured grunt, no words or sighs.  "Knight, wake up!"

Vision going blurred, Nikko sat back, hands stilling as he tried to calm himself and think.

Leaning down, Nikko listened.  It was barely anything, but there were soft pants of strained breaths.  Knight was alive; he was breathing, but overall unresponsive.  With trembling hands, Nikko rolled Knight over, unbuttoned his pajama shirt, and put an ear to the fox's chest.  His heart was beating softly; that was a good sign, but Nikko was no doctor.

Nikko's own breaths came in sharp gasps.  He had to keep himself together.  There was no way to get a hold of Jack at this hour, and the facility itself would be closed even if there were a way to drag Knight's limp body there.  The care guide listed a 24-hour phone number for emergencies, but as soon as Nikko had his phone in hand he froze.

If he called, they would know what a screw-up he was.  They would take Knight away from him, and he was selfishly not ready for that to happen yet.  He needed Knight.

But if he didn't call, he could lose Knight in an even worse way, and a loud sob escaped from him as he punched his code into the phone's unlock screen.

He didn't deserve Knight anyway.  He had abandoned Knight, pushed him away because he couldn't deal with his own feelings, left him alone, and now Knight lay dying and he didn't even know if he should call a doctor or a-

He dropped his phone and was out the door before it even hit the ground.

Nikko pounded on Darryl's door without mercy, crying and yelling to please open up.  Darryl looked startled and concerned when he flung the door open, asking with wide, axinite eyes "Nikko!?  What's wrong!?"

"Knight is sick!  He's not moving and he's hardly breathing and I think he's dying!  Please!  Please help him!"

"Okay, okay."  Darryl's voice was controlled, as though he understood the situation.  He likely encountered desperate pet owners on a regular basis; his instant professional demeanor calmed Nikko by the barest fraction.  "Let me get dressed and grab some things."

" _Please_."

"I'll be right back."  Then Darryl disappeared.

Nikko paced in the building's hallway and it seemed like a millennium had passed before Darryl rushed out the door, dressed in dark sweats and carrying a black bag.  He had the door locked in a flash, and then they both took off running.

He didn't think about anything as they flew.  He didn't think about how he was going to explain Knight to Darryl; he didn't think about how they might not be able to do anything; he didn't think about how it might be too late, and how it would be all his fault.  He just ran, leading the way, moving faster than he ever had in his life.

Knight hadn't moved in the moments he had been gone.  Of course he hadn't.  And without looking back to spare a single glance at Darryl, Nikko dropped by his side again, stroking hands over his face and pleading " _Knight_.  Knight, please wake up.  Please."

" _That's_ him?"

"Yes," Nikko answered, looking up at Darryl with desperate eyes.  "Please help him."

"I thought he was a fox."

"He _is_.  Please!"

Darryl looked a blended mixture of stunned and as though he just realized the person he had been dating was mental.  "Nikko...  That's a human."

"He's not human."  A fresh batch of tears spilled hot down his face as he lifted Knight's head, wrapping fingers around one of the soft fox ears.  "Look.  These are his ears, and he has a tail.  They're real, I promise!  He's-  He's a hybrid.  A science experiment.  I promise I'm not lying.  I promise he _is_ a fox.  So-"  He sobbed, choked, croaked out one last "Please..."

Darryl's jaw set and, despite whatever was going through his head at the moment, he nodded and moved forward.  "What has he been eating recently?"  His hands moved over Knight's body, feeling for something only a doctor would know.  He pressed fingers to Knight's forehead, then slid them down into Knight's mouth, along his gums and tongue.

"I don't know," Nikko admitted.  "We had an argument last week and I haven't-"  He swallowed a lump.  "I haven't seen him eat anything at all.  I assumed he was feeding himself, but... he's gotten so thin..."

"I doubt he's been eating.  Fennecs-  If that's what he is..."  He glanced at Nikko, but continued.  "Fennecs are desert animals, and they don't need to drink water at all.  They get all their hydration from the food they eat, but he's _severely_ dehydrated."  The he stood again, moving to pull his bag over as he instructed "Put him on his side and take his pants off."

"Wh- Wha-?"

"I need to take his temperature."

Of course.  Of course.  It was a standard procedure, and even if Knight had a human mouth, he couldn't exactly hold an oral thermometer under his tongue while unconscious.  Nikko knew that, but he still flushed with embarrassment as he followed the orders.  There wasn't time to be shy.  He yanked the flannel pajama pants down, slid Knight's trunks to his knees after, and pulled the limp body onto his side, whispering "I'm so sorry, Knight.  I'm so sorry..."

Darryl returned with a prepared thermometer, and there was a crystal clear moment when absolute belief spread through his eyes as he looked down at his patient.  But all he said was "Hold his tail out of the way," as he kneeled back down.

Nikko gathered up the furry tail and held it tightly, averting his eyes while Darryl went to work, gazing at Knight's slack face.  His free hand ran through Knight's hair, pulling his bangs away from his forehead a moment before moving to cup his cheek.  He only turned away when he heard the electric thermometer beep.

"He's got a fever," Darryl announced.  "Let's put him on the couch.  We'll put a cool towel over him, then try to get some fluids in him."

"My- My bed would be better," Nikko said.  Then he added "It's bigger."

"All right."  Darryl stood, taking Knight up easily in his arms.  "Where is it?"

"Down the hall there, last door on the right."

"Okay.  You get a large towel and soak it in cool water."

Nikko did as told, rushing to saturate his largest bath towel, not sparing a thought to the water that spilled onto the bathroom floor.  It became heavy and unwieldy as it absorbed the cool water, but Nikko did his best to hurry to the bedroom with the dripping cloth.

Knight was laid nude on the bed, all of his completely human body bared to Nikko for the first time.  Nikko didn't stop moving to make note of it; he spread the towel as best he could as he hurried to the bed, laying the cloth over Knight.  Darryl helped him arrange it, and then looked up at Nikko again.  "Do you have any bottled water?"

"I think so."

"Get a bottle.  And he'll need some taurine."

"Taurine?"

"Fennecs need it or they might have seizures or go blind.  Do you have any energy drinks?"

"I have some Red Bull..."

"Bring that too."

Nikko was off again, gathering the drinks and returning to find Darryl taking Knight's pulse.  More importantly, however, was that Knight's eyelids were fluttering.  He was waking up.

Nikko practically slammed the items he carried on the nightstand in his haste to climb onto the bed and sit by Knight's side.  "Knight!"  He took the fox's hand, held it tightly, pressed it to his chest.  "Knight, please be okay."

"Nikko...?"  Knight's voice was weak, cracked, void of its usual vigor.  His yellow eyes were slits, but they were opened.

"I'm here, Knight.  I'm here."

Then Knight smiled, a whisper of a chuckle, and his eyes closed again.  "Nikko..."

"Give him water, _very_ slowly," Darryl said.  "It'll be easier if he's at least a little bit conscious."

Nikko nodded, and together they sat Knight up, resting his back against Nikko's chest.  Nikko tilted Knight's head back, brought the water bottle to his lips.  "Knight."

"Mm?"

"You need to drink water, okay?  I'll give you some, so drink it properly.  Got it?"

"Okay..."

The water was tipped in, just a sip flowing into Knight's mouth.  Knight's eyes stayed closed, but his throat worked as it should, taking the water in.  After the first swallow, his mouth opened wider, a silent request for more, which was given.

"Slowly," Darryl reminded softly, almost a coo.  But then he smiled. "I think he's going to be alright."

Nikko finally looked up, directly into Darryl's face, though his vision had gone wet and blurry again.  "Thank you.  Thank you _so_ much."

"Hey, it's what I'm here for.  ...  Sort of."

A tiny ' _yiff_ ' came from Knight, and it was enough to make both Nikko and Darryl chuckle softly.  For a while, things fell silent, with Nikko slowly giving Knight water, Knight taking it obediently, sometimes asking for more.  And then, to Nikko's immense relief, Knight took a deep breath.  His breathing was steadier, stronger.  Darryl took his pulse again, and Knight's eyes cracked open again to watch him silently.  Darryl smiled at him, drawing Knight's eyes up to his face, but then all Knight did was take another deep breath like a sigh, and then closed his eyes again.

Soon, Knight's breaths evened out and his jaw slackened, letting his mouth fall open.  He fell asleep leaning against Nikko, a peace that had been missing for weeks erasing the crease in his brow, and for a long time the room stayed quiet.  The only sounds were of Knight's gentle breaths, while his body, now replenished with life-giving hydration, worked at reducing the fever.  And Nikko only stared, grateful beyond belief that his beautiful fox had been saved.

It was only when Darryl moved again that Nikko remembered the rest of the world.

"I may as well go," Darryl said, looking weary.  His voice was subdued.  "The rest is up to him, but he'll be okay."

"Nn."  Nikko nodded, eased Knight back down onto the bed, and then got up to see Darryl out.

"Don't leave the towel on him all night," Darryl advised as he got his things together, cleaning the thermometer with an alcohol swab and packing it away.  "Give him the Red Bull and more water when he wakes up, but don't let him guzzle it."

Nikko took everything in.  Hopefully he could at least do this right.  "Okay."

"The fever should break soon.  I believe a fennec's core temperature is 100.8, so if you have a thermometer, you can check."

"I... just have a regular one...  For the mouth..."

Darryl smirked, but it was amused.  "That'll work fine, if he's awake."

"Okay..."

"And...  I think that's it."  Then Darryl picked up his bag, raising a shoulder strap as if to sling it around himself, but then he paused.  Slowly, his arms fell.  "What...  What _is_ he?"

Nikko's eyes slid to the side, not looking for anything in particular, but ending up staring at the dark hallway that led to the bedrooms.  He didn't know how much, if anything, he was supposed to keep under wraps, or if he was free to say whatever about the program.  He had never been sworn to secrecy, had found the facility by chance himself, but the way everyone – even people who couldn't care less about the stares of strangers – hid their students in public gave the impression they didn't want the program widely advertised.

But Nikko trusted Darryl.  Darryl was okay to tell; he wouldn't shout to the world about Knight's existence, and he deserved to know besides.

"There's a whole company of researchers working on genetic splicing.  They're combining DNA, making hybrid... things.  Part animal, part human.  They have traits of both."

"That's...  That's impossible."

Nikko shook his head.  "It's not.  Knight is one of them, and he's even a hybrid amongst hybrids."

"The horns?"

"Yeah, he's also part ram."

"How did _you_ end up with him?"

Fate?

Nikko shrugged, a stilted, lapsed movement of his shoulders.  "By chance.  The animals are paired with people to teach them how to live as humans, and I was approved as a candidate.  But..."  Then his shoulders, his expression, his gaze fell.  "Apparently, I'm not very good at it."

A smile sounded from Darryl, and he finally completed the movement to get his bag around his shoulder.  "I think you're doing fine.  You've taken care of everything that needs taking care of.  You got him a sandbox when he needed it, I see lots of toys and games to keep him entertained, and I already know you're a great teacher."  Nikko snorted, but didn't respond, and Darryl continued.  "There was one little hiccup-"

" _Little_?"

"-And you took care of that too.  And, Nikko...  It's obvious he adores you very much."  The smile remained in that honey voice, and it was a comfort.  He tweaked Nikko's chin, then headed to the door while saying "Did you know that fennecs mate for life?"  He reached the door, opened it, and spun around.

"You know an awful lot about fennecs for a guy who hadn't ever seen one before."

Darryl leaned on the doorframe.  "Well, see, I met this cute guy who has one, so I studied up on them in hopes of impressing him."

It was cute, clever, sweet.  Nikko's eyes pulled to the floor, his head bowed, studying his shoes in silence until he couldn't see them anymore, and then his heavy, unwanted tears began to fall.

"Nikko?"

"I'm sorry," Nikko choked out, a sob hitching his breath.  "I can't-  I can't do this anymore."

"Can't do what?"

"I can't see you anymore."  He sniffled loud, embarrassing crybaby that he was.  "You're great and wonderful and so damn nice, but I _can't_.  I- I have to take care of him.  I have to be here for him and stay by his side and-  And I'm so _sorry_!"

There was no response.  They stood silently with only Nikko's sniffles serenading them, and he didn't dare look up at Darryl.  He had no way of knowing if the other man was angry or heartbroken or really just sick of him; he was almost too scared to find out.

And then Darryl's gentle, honey voice simply stated, "You're in love with him."

"No!"  Nikko looked up then, eyes wide, afraid of those words.  "I- I can't!  He's not human!"

Darryl smiled, profound, knowing.  "He's human enough."

"No...  He's an animal."

"Do you really think that?"

Nikko's mouth floundered, but nothing came out.  Because that was the wrong line.  That wasn't in the script, and he didn't know how to ad-lib.  His next line telling the audience that he _knew_ humans and animals couldn't have romantic feelings between each other was out of place now, and all he could eventually come up with was "It's not like that..."  It was lame and pathetic, but at least he had stayed in character.

Darryl's smile deepened one more time.  "You deserve to be happy, Nikko."  Then he turned around.  "Please don't hesitate to call me if you ever need anything."  He exited stage center, leaving Nikko to grip the doorframe alone.


	8. Separation Anxiety, epilogue

 

 

 

Warmth like sunshine wrapped around him.  He hadn't felt this warm in a long time; it was more difficult staying warm since he lost his fur.  Human skin wasn't as good at regulating temperature.

But when he woke up, he felt warm, and everything around him smelled good.

His body felt heavy and he couldn't really remember what happened or where he was.  He remembered being exhausted; he remembered his heart hurting.  He remembered being scared and alone and desperately looking for any hint of Nikko's scent.

Nikko...

He remembered Nikko holding his hand – so warm! – and crying for him.  Nikko had returned to him and saved him, which was funny because Knight was the knight, but maybe sometimes Nikko was a knight too.

Knight opened his eyes to a sunlit room.  An arm was around him, something pressed against him, and he looked down to see the top of Nikko's head.  He was in Nikko's room.

His eyes popped wide and he began to squirm.  He had to get out.  He had to go back to his own room, or Nikko would get upset, maybe kick him out for good.  He tried to slip out of the bed carefully, but the movement jostled Nikko too much, and large, brown eyes looked up at him before he even had the blanket off.

"I'm sorry!" Knight said straight away.  "I'm sorry!  I don't know how I got here, but I didn't mean to go into your space!  I'm sorry!  Please don't-"

"Knight."  Nikko calmed his brewing fear with a touch to his arm as he sat up.  "It's alright.  I brought you here.  Or, well...  Had you brought here..."

He felt his ears go flat, submissive.  "So...  I'm not in trouble?"

"No, you're not."  Then Nikko turned, his eyes looking at something on the blanket that his hands kneaded.  "You...  You did nothing wrong, Knight.  This whole time, the way I've been so strict with you...  It was because of me.  I thought it would be better if there was a distance between us, as student and teacher.  I thought we needed to be professional.  So I pushed you away, and I'm _so_ sorry."  He looked to Knight then, and he looked so sad.  "It hurt you, and it hurt me.  Hell, even Darryl got hurt in the end, and it's all my fault.  I'm sorry."

Knight moved then, reaching forward to wrap his arms around Nikko.  Perhaps he was taking a risk – perhaps – but Nikko looked so sad, he wanted to hug the hurt away.  And then Nikko hugged him back, and a smile spread across Knight's face as his tail began to twitch.  He felt so warm, and he realized that warmth came from Nikko.

Finally, finally, Knight simply said "I didn't run away."

Nikko laughed and sniffled in one breath.  "No.  No, you didn't."

"I kept my promise."

"Yes."  Then Nikko moved back, the space between them quickly cooling, though Nikko's smile kept Knight warm.  "You're a good boy."

Knight's tail wagged outright, ecstatic.  "So!  So!  So...  Can I sleep in Nikko's room again...?"

Nikko snorted and shook his head, but his smile held.  "You should still _try_ to sleep in your own room, but...  If you need to come in here, I... won't kick you out."

"Thank you, Nikko!"  Then Knight wrapped the other man in his arms again.  He was sure – so sure – that he wouldn't be alone any more.

After some moments, Nikko pulled away again.  He twisted, turning to reach for the nightstand behind him, saying "Here" before turning back.  He had a can and a bottle with him, and he handed the can over to Knight.  "Drink this, and then this.  Take your time, though.  I'm going to get a thermometer.  Stay here."

"Okay."  When Nikko had slipped out of the bed and padded off down the hall, Knight looked at the can he had been given.  None of the words printed in excited red meant anything to him and he had no idea what it was, but Nikko told him to drink it, so he did.  It was sweet, fizzy, not great but not bad.  He had a few gulps down when Nikko came back with the thermometer.

The drinks were returned to the nightstand and Nikko arranged himself so he was sitting on the bed, facing Knight with his legs crossed in front of him.  "Hold this under your tongue until it beeps," he said as he pushed a button on the meter, and Knight nodded.  When Nikko held the thermometer up, Knight opened his mouth, lifted his tongue, and let Nikko put it in place.

A staring contest ensued then, the two of them watching each other, eyes meeting and then quickly darting away.  Finally, Knight asked "What about your lover?" and the thermometer fell right out of his mouth.

" _Knight_."

"Sorry..."

The thermometer was reset and placed again, this time Nikko holding it there for a moment.  Then his hand moved slowly, as though afraid, to touch Knight's hair, his ear, running over his horn.  Knight liked those touches.  He wanted to tell Nikko not to be afraid, but he needed to keep his mouth closed around the thermometer.

Then, as his fingers played with the locks of Knight's bangs, Nikko quietly said "I'm not going to see Darryl anymore."

Knight's brows drew together, the best he could do for an apology at the moment.  He may be a stupid fox, but he knew it was his fault.  He was selfish, got angry because he didn't have all of Nikko's time anymore.  But it was so lonely and cold without Nikko.

"Don't worry about it," Nikko said, as if he could read Knight's expression.  He likely could; Nikko was really smart.  "You're my number-one priority, and... I'm okay with that.  More than okay; I'm glad."  Then Nikko smiled, and Knight felt his own heart beat heavy with joy.

The thermometer beeped and Nikko pulled it free from Knight's lips.  Looking at the small display, he announced "You've still got a bit of a fever" before sliding off the bed.  "Well, we can just relax for today.  Do you want to watch a movie?  I'll grab my iPad."

Beneath the bedcovers, Knight's tail wiggled out of control.

"Yes, Nikko!"

 

 

 

 

It was scary being outside alone.  Everything looked so monochrome and intimidating when Nikko wasn't by his side, and he hoped he could get this over with soon so he could go back home and dig in his sandbox.  Maybe Nikko had hidden chocolate again.

On Mondays, Nikko had extra long meetings at work, and didn't get home until late.  It made a good chance for Knight to do this.  Not that he wanted it to be a secret, per se, but he did want to do it alone, even if he didn't understand himself why.

He hid in a bush, tail stiff against his leg, confined within his pants.  His ears and horns were tucked under the hat he wore, what Nikko called a 'newsboy cap'.  He must have looked completely human, totally unsuspicious as he parted the greenery in front of him with one hand, clutching a small package with the other.

His target came up the walkway, keys in hand, wrapped in a long, black coat with a bag slung across his shoulders.  Knight had never met Darryl before, but for some reason he looked familiar.  His scent was certainly familiar, in any case; that scent that had clung to Nikko's clothes for weeks.

Knight leapt from his hiding spot, landing in front of the man, who stopped dead in his tracks.  They were both still for a moment – Knight had instantly forgotten all the things he was going to say – and then the man smiled and his posture relaxed.  "I see you're feeling better," he said.  "It's nice to finally meet you, Knight."

"You're... Darryl?"  That was the name Nikko had said.

"I am."

"Then...  Here!"  Knight thrust the package forward, holding it at arm's length for Darryl to take.

And he did take it, slowly.  "What is it?"

"They're cookies.  I made them myself."  He had even used the fox-shaped cookie-cutter Nikko had.  "Ah, but some of them might be burned..."

Darryl laughed; his smile was really amazing.  "Well, thank you."

Knight shook his head.  "It's to say thank you to you, because you saved my life.  Nikko told me.  And!  And... I'm sorry..."

Darryl looked at him for a long time and Knight couldn't tell what he was thinking.  He still smiled, though, so it must have been nice.  When he did speak, it was with sincerity.  "I'm happy to help.  You and Nikko...  You guys have something special.  Take care of each other."

"I- I'll always take care of Nikko!" Knight said as his back straightened, standing taller.

Smile tilting, Darryl gave a nod.  "I know you will."  Then he raised the small bundle of cookies.  "Thanks, for this," and disappeared into the building.

Somehow, Knight felt like he had gained a new ally.

He turned back to his own building, his home, wondering as he walked about what he should try to make for Nikko's dinner.


	9. Trick-or-Tails, part one

 

 

 

"Nikko, what's Halloween?"

He received a question instead of a greeting when he walked in the door.  Seemed Knight had gotten the memo too.  "It's a holiday," he answered.  "Where people put on costumes and go around asking strangers for candy."

"Why?"

"Eh...  Well, it's an old custom to celebrate the dead."

"Dead!?"

"But now it's mostly a community event, for fun."  He headed towards the kitchen to see what Knight had made for dinner – a task he had recently decided was his duty – and figure out what he would have to do to salvage it.  Cooking was absolutely _not_ the fox's strong point, but he got an A for effort.  Hopefully he didn't end up burning the whole building down some day.

Knight followed, tail twitching curiously.  "Sounds scary."

"Nah," Nikko chuckled.  "It's just for fun."

"Does Nikko get candy?"

"Not anymore.  The candy is for children.  They go door-to-door and say 'trick or treat', and adults give them candy."  The 'stew' on the stove was more like a paste, and it held fast to the wooden spoon left in the pot.  Nikko decided to order a pizza instead, and slid open the coupon drawer.  "I'm too old for trick-or-treating, but I enjoy passing candy out to the kids.  Their costumes are really cute."

"If I put on a costume, will I get candy?"

"M... mm..."  Nikko looked over Knight's body, nice as it was.  He still wasn't as built as he had been before... before their trouble spot, but he was starting to gain weight again.  Evening trips to the park, where Knight was let loose to run and play on the monkey bars and jungle gym, were building muscle.  His natural build – the lucky fox – would have him fit in no time.  "I don't think anyone would believe you're a child."

Knight's ears drooped.  "No fair..."  But then he sniffed, and perked right back up again.  "Nikko!  Your sweet smell is coming back!"

"Never mind that," Nikko said quickly as he turned away.  He shouldn't have lingered on Knight's body so much.  "What do you want on your pizza?"

"But...  I made stew."

"Ah...  Yes, but I'm really in the mood for pizza tonight.  I'll take the stew for lunch tomorrow.  Is that alright?"

"I see.  It's okay."  Then Knight smiled broadly.  "Then, I want meat!"

Nikko returned the smile.  "Meat it is."

 

 

 

 

They ate right out of the box when the pizza came, and Nikko finally remembered their conversation from before.  "So, did you get the message from Jack?"

"Yes," Knight answered.  "Halloween party!"

"Do you want to go?"

"Um...  I suppose...  If it's okay for Nikko..."

His fox was observant, sometimes.  It was true that Nikko didn't care for parties; he wasn't fond of new situations where he would be stuck facing new people.  But this wouldn't be a completely new situation, and the people there wouldn't be complete strangers.  He had met some of them before – some of them had become his friends.  These parties hosted by the facility seemed to be pretty regular, and Nikko would become more and more comfortable with each one.

And besides, Knight would be with him.

"Yeah, it's okay," Nikko smiled.  He had already RSVP'd with Jack when he returned his voice mail earlier in the day.  "You'll have to wear a costume, though."

"What kind of costume?"

"Anything is okay.  You can be anything you want."

"Then I want to be human."

Nikko smiled, amused and endeared by Knight's simplicity.  "You'll have to be a little more specific than that."

"Specific?"

"What kind of human?  A police officer?  An astronaut?  A mad scientist?  Or you can be an angel or a fairy or a vampire.  Anything.  For one night, you can be anything you want."

"Anything...?"

"Well...  Yeah."

Time passed.  Seconds went by, then a minute, a little more.  Nikko was curious about what Knight would choose, given the option to be anything for a night.  In the end, however, Knight just smiled and said "I'll think about it."

 

 

 

 

The answer, of course, was obvious.

Decked out in metal, half-plate armor that cost enough to make Nikko seriously regret saying "anything," Knight was, appropriately, a very dashing knight.  While they went ahead with the bracers and greaves, they forwent the helmet, both to save money and because it wouldn't have fit on Knight's head over his horns anyway.  A replica sword completed the outfit, and Knight looked amazing.  Worth every cent.

What was not so amazing was that, while browsing websites for the armor, Knight got it in his head that they should do pair costumes.  And what was a heroic knight without a princess to save?  So, despite his initial protests, on the night of the Halloween party, Nikko found himself stuffed into an atrocious pink taffeta dress, complete with cone headdress.  He really needed to say 'no' to Knight more often.

They walked to the event, which was held at a rented out hall in the city center, and through the entire trek Nikko was as pink as his dress.  He received several catcalls from creeps loitering on the streets, most probably mocking, but a few possibly not.  Nobody approached him, though, likely due to the tall knight escorting him, and he was glad for that.

Knight had his ears down, but his head was left uncovered.  They would get stares from walking around in costumes anyway, even if it was Halloween weekend, and people were likely to assume the black horns on Knight's head were part of the ensemble.  His tail was tucked into his pants for now, with a promise that they would set it free once they arrived at the hall.

Nikko started seeing people and students he recognized a couple blocks away from the event space.  Though he hadn't had the chance to meet many of the other teachers at the summer picnic, he gave a smile to those he made eye-contact with, integrating himself little-by-little.

A lot of the others also seemed to have gone for pair costumes.  The older lady and her two cat boys were dressed as Mrs. Potts and a pair of teacups from Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast', while the fennec girl was dressed as a maid, her teacher a matching butler.  The poodles and their teachers were all done up in full-on Marie Antoinette attire, complete with white makeup and powdered wigs.  Even one of their outfits must have cost as much as Nikko earned in two months.  When one of the women saw Nikko in his pink taffeta, she sneered and leaned over to her gossip partner.  Nikko's eyes pulled down, looking away, feeling foolish.

"Yo, Nikko!"  Buck stood by the entrance of the hall, wearing plain jeans and a t-shirt that read 'This IS my costume'.  Gus stood next to him, dressed in what Nikko could only guess was a Viking costume, with a plastic, horned helmet and flimsy armor.

"Gus!"  At seeing his friend, Knight took off running, bounding up and headbutting the wolf's shoulder.  How he managed to move so easily in the metal armor was a mystery, when Nikko could hardly walk in the stupid heels he wore.

When Nikko reached the group, Buck was patting Knight's head, saying "It's good to see ya in high spirits," and Knight beamed at the touch.  Then Buck's attention turned to Nikko, and he let out a whistle.  " _Sexy_ ," he said with a laugh.

"It was Knight's idea..." Nikko replied with a blush.

"Well, he knows what's up.  If I didn't know what was under that skirt, I'd-"

"Shush!"

Buck laughed, finding great amusement in Nikko's embarrassment, like everyone did.

"Nikko!  Nikko!"  Knight tugged at a puffy, pink sleeve, and when Nikko gave his attention, he turned, the almost unnoticeable lump in the back of his black pants dancing left and right.  And without further prompting, Nikko unsnapped the fastening to open the hole they had created, feeding Knight's tail through until the long appendage was free.  It went stiff for a moment, then relaxed, stretching as one would stretch a cramping leg.  His ears were already up, standing at attention.

It wasn't long – only enough time for Buck to have to admonish Gus about swinging Knight's replica sword around haphazardly twice – before the distinct sound of a Harley Davidson roared up the street, pulling easily into the parking lot.  Nikko saw Penny perched on the back of the bike – identifiable by the braid of too-long blonde hair snaking out from under the helmet she wore – and even from a distance he quickly recognized the Princess Leia outfit – slave version, of course.

He was already grinning when their friends approached, and so was Ginger.  "I see I'm not the only one who was coerced into cross-dressing," she said, hand resting on her toy blaster.

Nikko chuckled.  "Yeah, but you make a much better Han than I do a princess."

"Are you wearing bra under-"

" _No_."  But he still smiled.

Penny had sidled up to Knight, but didn't say anything, only looking away from him.  Knight looked in the opposite direction, frown touching his face, and Gus looked confused between the two of them.  After kicking the dirt underfoot a bit, Knight finally said "I'm sorry... for biting you..."

" _Well_ ," Penny replied, purposely obstinate.  "I don't know if I can forgive you."

"Please?"

"Hmm...  Okay."  And then she smiled, turning to him.  "Only because it's you."

Knight smiled back, painted with happiness and relief.  "I'm glad."

"If it were a stupid wolf, I would never forgive him!"

Gus's ears perked and he looked back and forth between them.  Then, slowly, his eyes narrowed.  "Wait a minute..."

"Ruka!"  Penny bounced away, finding someone new to tease, giving Nikko and _everyone_ a view of the back of her outfit.  Instead of a single panel of cloth, as Leia's slave outfit should have, hers was split in two for her tail to hang through.  The long fur of her tail was basically the only thing keeping her from flashing the world.

Ruka, it seemed, was the little black-haired rabbit that Penny had _socialized_ with at the summer picnic.  Nikko never did get any of the other students' names, something he resolved to do soon.  Both of the rabbits were dressed as druids, wearing heavy-hooded cloaks that put their faces in shadow.  Holes were cut into the hoods for their ears to poke free from, but Ruka, whose ears usually stuck up straight and long, seemed to be holding his down, like Jack always did.

Nikko guessed the young, blonde woman in a matching robe was their teacher.  Penny paid her no mind as she took hold of Ruka's arm.  "Ruka, do you like my outfit?"

"It's fine," the rabbit answered, hardly sparing her a glance.  His voice was soft but held little inflection.

For a brief second, Penny looked put-off, but then she smiled again.  "I hope we can play again later."

"Not interested."  And with that, Ruka pulled his arm free and continued into the hall.

Even Nikko had to raise a brow at that.  The rabbit had been so enthusiastic last time, but now had shot Penny down instantly, straightforward to the point of rude.  He wouldn't have blamed Penny if she were hurt, but instead she looked _pissed_.

The larger, brown rabbit gave her an apologetic smile as he passed by, while their teacher said "Sorry about that" as she followed.

Angry and dejected, Penny returned to their group.  "Better luck next time, Pen," Ginger said as she wrapped an arm around the retriever's shoulders.

"You could always try for the brown one," Nikko added, still unnerved by the whole idea but wanting to be helpful.  He felt like he owed her at least that much.

His words, however, just made Buck laugh out loud.  "That is the worst thing you could'a said."

"What?"  A hot blush colored Nikko's cheeks as he blinked in confusion.

"Toto won't socialize with anyone but Ruka," Penny spat out.  Nikko got the impression she had found that out the hard way.  "He wants to marry him."

"They have... a relationship?"

"They're brothers," Ginger answered casually.

Nikko felt his stomach sink.  "Brothers!?  You mean... like..."

"Brothers from the same mother," Buck sang like he thought he was clever.  Then he scowled.  "Gus!  Put the sword down!  No!  Give it back to Knight!"

Nikko's mind was still reeling.  "They're brothers...  But they..."

"They're animals," Ginger said.  "They don't think about such things.  And those two are a special case besides."

"How so?"

"Siblings ending up at the same facility is unheard of, much less with the same teacher.  But they've always been together.  According to them, they refused to be separated, even at the lab."

"They remember their time at the lab?"

Ginger shrugged.  "Some do, I guess."

He had never thought about that possibility.  He wondered if Knight remembered his birth, his growth.  He wondered if he should ask Knight about it, or if it was a time the fox would rather forget.  If it was as painful as he kept hearing, Knight might not want it brought up at all.

Before he could think on it further, though, Buck turned to the hall, inviting. "Shall we go in?"

The hall was large and decorated with cute Halloween motifs, orange and black streamers everywhere and pumpkins in each corner.  Immediately next to the door was a long table stacked with food, and in the far opposite corner was a stereo playing some kind of pop music.  There were round tables, some of which were already covered in jackets, purses, and bags, some of which already had people sitting at them, chowing down from overflowing orange or black paper plates.  And on the other side of the door, opposite the food table, was Jack and a line of other facility workers, each in a suit with matching small witches hat perched on the sides of their heads.

Jack was the only staff from the facility Nikko had ever spoken with.  He had served as Nikko's coordinator from the moment he walked in the door and into this world, but it made sense that there would be others.  He hadn't noticed who was staff and who wasn't at the summer picnic, but with them all matching now, it was easier to distinguish them from the rest of the guests.  Nikko wondered if they were all graduated animals, or if any of them were human.  He honestly couldn't tell.

He greeted Jack, as did Knight, though with much more enthusiasm.  Then Knight moved on to greet all the other staff members, calling them each by name.  "Jeff!  Baily!  Marcus!"  And each of them had a fond smile for Knight in return.  More than a couple also turned their glances and smiles to Nikko, and he felt like he could read _gratitude_ in each of their eyes.  He could see their appreciation for him taking Knight in, and it made him feel strangely warm.

Though, honestly, as his own fond gaze turned to the smiling Knight, he couldn't see how anyone else could have passed up such a lovely creature.

"Nikko," Knight said as he gripped Nikko's arm while they followed Buck to an empty table.  "That pumpkin is scary."

He followed Knight's gaze, seeing a jack-o-lantern carved with menacing eyes and pointed fangs.  "It's a jack-o-lantern," Nikko answered with a smile.

"A Jack...?"

"A jack-o-lantern.  A pumpkin with a face."

"Why is it scary?"

"Halloween is supposed to be spooky."

"I don't like it."

Nikko laughed and patted Knight's hand.  "Then just stay away from it.  If you leave it alone, it'll leave you alone."

"Let's get some grub!"  Buck and Gus both bee-lined for the food, two of a kind, while Nikko and the others followed at a more leisurely pace.

They ate and talked and talked some more.  Ginger and Buck introduced Nikko to several of the other teachers and students they were friends with, and shared gossip about the ones they didn't care for as much.  Nikko learned that the older woman he had spoken to before was named Alice, and her cat-boys were Ben and Jerry.  There were a few years between the boys, but they got along well, with the older Ben lending a hand in teaching Jerry, who was but a kitten.

Ruka and Toto's teacher was Noella, who was actually much older than she looked.  She was a professor of psychology at the nearby university, and the rabbits were actually her second set of students, having seen a trio of bunnies graduate a few years prior.  She seemed to be one of the best teachers in the program, but worked exclusively with rabbits, saying she just couldn't resist their little cotton-tails.

Another man made his way up to their table, prompting Buck to stand with a loud "Ayy!" that led into bear hugs and back pats.  Then Nikko was introduced to Reece, who seemed friendly enough, and Reece's dog, Axle.

He wasn't sure if he would say Axle was big or not, as he was shorter than Knight, but as stocky as Gus.  His short, black hair was straight, and had two blonde spots in his bangs that Nikko's eyes got stuck on.  He couldn't help it – the golden-blonde spots really stood out against the black that was the rest of Axle's hair.  Then all of a sudden it hit him, and his jaw dropped.  "You're a rottweiler."

Axle's brown eyes turned to him, and for a moment Nikko was afraid, until the dog smiled.  "Yep."

Nikko smiled back.  He liked Axle.  "I adore rottweilers."

Axle beamed.  He looked like he should have been wagging his tail, but Nikko realized there was no tail to wag.  Axle had been docked, and it made a pinch of sadness swirl through Nikko's heart.  He hated the practice, and hoped it wasn't Reece's doing.  But Axle was full of a toothy grin – all sharp fangs – and said "Thanks."

Penny sauntered by then, catching Axle's attention before quickly bounding away.  Axle took off after her like a shot, dodging other party-goers on agile feet as he chased his prize.  So Penny had found someone to socialize with after all.  Good for her.

Beside him, Knight pouted.  "What's wrong?" Nikko asked while pressing their shoulders together.

"I thought Nikko adored foxes."

Ah, he was jealous.  Cute.  "I do adore foxes."

"But you said you adore rott-  ...  Rote-  ...  Rottwankers."

"Rottweilers?"  Nikko chuckled when Knight only pouted more.  "I do.  I adore many things.  I also adore birds and fish and ice cream."

Somehow, Knight's pout pulled down even more, and he sniffled.  So before the fox started bawling right there, Nikko took his hand.

"But you know what?"  Then he leaned in closer, a secret just for the two of them.  "I adore Knight most of all."

Like magic, Knight was smiling again.  "Really!?"

"Of course."

"Nikko!"  Then Knight grabbed him up in a hug, knocking the headdress off Nikko's head and squeezing the air out of him.

" _Knight_."  Nikko pushed him back, though Knight's eyes continued to shine.  A furtive glance around the hall and of course nobody cared.  Nobody paid any more attention to them than they did the two dogs mating in the corner.  He heaved a sigh, relieved, and then ran his hand through Knight's hair, scratching behind his ears.  And quietly, he repeated "I adore Knight most of all."

A butler approached their table, grabbing attention, and Nikko realized belatedly that it was the fennec-girl's teacher.  He had a gorgeous smile with which he greeted their little group, and Ginger took the liberty of introducing.  "Kent, this is Nikko and Knight."

"It's a pleasure," Kent said, and Nikko wondered if it were an act for the costume or if the guy really was that proper.  "I remember seeing you at the summer picnic."

"Yeah," Nikko replied.  "It's nice to meet you."

"And this is Tina," Ginger finished the introduction, gesturing to the tiny girl.  Nikko was again struck by how adorable she was, all ears, tawny hair fluffing out.

"Good to meet you as well," Nikko said with a smile.  His circle widened a bit more.  "Right, Knight?"

"Un..."  Knight nodded, but then turned his face away.  His voice was a whisper when he said "She's a _real_ fennec..."

Tina must have heard – she probably heard everything with those satellite dishes on her head – because she smiled, soft and kind.  "Hybrids are good too."  Every bit of her was as sweet as she looked.

Knight turned back, smile and eyes shining.  "Thank you."

Then Kent extended a white-gloved hand to Ginger, smile charming.  "I was wondering if you'd like to dance."

Ginger looked stunned and pulled a face before taking the offered hand.  "Sure," she said, then tossed a grin and a wink back as she was led to where the music played.

"I'd like to dance with Knight," Tina smiled, reaching for Knight's hand.  "And Gus-Gus too," she added as she took the wolf's hand as well.

Knight smiled as he was led away, saying "Nikko!  I'm going to dance!"

"Have fun," Nikko called back, ignoring the squeezing in his chest.  Then he turned to the other guys at their table.  " _Can_ they even dance?"

Buck laughed and gave an exaggerated "Hmm..."

"Sometimes, some of them can," Reece answered, grinning.  "The more attentive ones can if they watch people dancing.  Axle is a lost cause when it comes to anything other than chasing things down and knocking things over."  Then he cocked his head towards Nikko.  "Never play football with him."

"I've never played football in my life."

The other guys laughed.  Nikko had been serious.

Nikko looked to the area where people were dancing.  Ginger and Kent made a nice pair despite their contrasting costumes.  He twirled her around and she laughed, moving gracefully with him.  Close by them, the trio of students stood in a circle with their hands joined, swinging their arms to no beat in particular.  It was a far cry from dancing, but they looked to be having fun all the same.  Knight's smile was dazzling, full of happiness and fun.  It took Nikko's breath away.

"Ginger sure is a looker, isn't she?" Reece said, and Nikko turned to find the man grinning at him knowingly.  He thought Nikko had been looking at Ginger.  Nikko's blush probably didn't help the assumption, but he wasn't about to admit whom he had really been mooning over.

"Hey, mate, you got a girl?" Buck asked.  It was a topic they had never breached before; Nikko wondered if it meant he was one of the guys now.  He also wondered whether or not he should let on that he wasn't interested in the fairer sex.  Even though he had hung out with Buck a few times and knew the guy was fairly laid-back – and he certainly didn't seem to give much thought to Gus's apparent crush on Knight – Nikko never could be too sure.  Not with humans.

In the end, he just answered "Nah, not right now.  I was dating someone a few weeks ago, but..."  He thought of Darryl.  Darryl had been great, possibly perfect, and very astute.  They had only seen each other a few times since their break up.  They waved when spotting each other from across the street, each at their own apartment building, but they hadn't spoken.  "But it didn't work out," he finished.

"That's too bad."

Nikko shrugged.  "How about you?"

Reece raised his left hand, gold ring shining, and simply said "Married," effectively taking the attention off of himself.

"Single, kinda lookin' but not too seriously."  Buck took a gulp of his punch, and then added "Got a few chicks I'd like to get to know better, but nothin' for sure yet."

"Well, that's okay," Nikko said, feeling like that was stupid.  Did guys even talk like that?  He hadn't boy-talked in so long; even longer since he chatted with straight guys.

But Buck only smiled.  "Yeah, it is."

Before they could delve into more embarrassing things, Gus lurked over to them, listing from one foot to the other.  Nikko glanced to see Knight and Tina still 'dancing', having been joined by a flushed-yet-pleased-looking Penny and Axle, and the group of them were bobbing their knees, still attempting to get the concept.  Knight and Tina kept watching the humans around them, though, began copying the movements they saw.  There was hope for them yet.

"Hey, Buddy.  What's up?" Buck asked.

"I..."  Gus continued to rock, blush touching his cheeks in a rare display of embarrassment.  His hand moved to grab at his crotch.  "I have to..."

"Gotta piss?"  When Gus nodded, Buck set his plastic cup down and stood up.  Seemed Gus really didn't know how to use a human toilet yet.  "All right, let's go."  And as they began heading towards the bathrooms, Nikko heard "Ya could do it yourself if you'd stop liftin' your leg."

"I can't help it."

Nikko was left alone with Reece, a man he just met and didn't know.  Terror rose like bile in his throat, but he swallowed it down.  He had to act like a normal person.  So he asked "Does your wife help with taking care of Axle?"

"Sometimes," Reece answered.  "But mostly he's my responsibility.  I had him before I met her, and _shit_ , that was tough to explain."

"I bet," Nikko said with a chuckle.

"She wants a student of her own now, but we're waiting until we move into a bigger place."

"That's a good idea."

And then silence fell.  Nikko didn't know what else to say or ask, and Reece didn't seem inclined to add anything of his own.  After moments, minutes, ticked by in awkward quiet, Reece took a drink from his cup and stood.  "Well, I'm gonna go say hi to a few people.  See ya around."

"Yeah," Nikko replied with a smile he didn't feel.  "See ya."

Then he was left alone.  As usual.  And it was fine; he didn't expect to connect with everyone.

He grabbed his own empty cup and headed to the food table, intent on getting more punch and looking like he was just refilling his drink, not sitting alone and abandoned.

The door next to the food table was open, letting in cool October air, and it felt good compared to the stuffiness inside the hall.  Voices drifted in from outside, some party-goers taking a breather, and Nikko thought that was a really good idea, until he got closer and heard exactly what they were saying.

"Well, that little slut won't win, that's for sure."  It was a woman's voice, haughty.

A stereotypically stuck-up laugh responded.  "Did you _see_ that outfit?  She may as well not be wearing anything at all.  It'll be a hundred years before _she_ graduates."

Nikko reached the punch bowl, filled his cup slowly, listening.  Perhaps it was rude to eavesdrop, but he could tell they were talking about Penny.  She was the only one there dressed overly provocative.  He could also guess who the likely speakers were.

"How about the hybrid, though?" Number Two said.  "He actually looks... really good."

Nikko's hand tightened around his cup, the flimsy plastic crinkling in his grip.  They were talking about Knight.

"Better than our girls?" the first voice asked, offended.

"Of course not!  Just...  Maybe he'll take third."

"That mutt will come in dead last!"  Then the voice turned dark, malicious.  "In fact, we'll make sure of it, won't we?"

A dark giggle.  "Yes, we will."

Then the two women slithered in through the door, startling Nikko to stillness.  It was the poodles' teachers, as he thought.  Victoria and Marie were their names, if he remembered correctly.  They both stared at him, looking him up and down, sizing him up.  Marie actually looked ashamed at being caught, but Victoria was stronger – rather, _richer_ – and simply curled her lip.

"There's nothing you can do about it," she said, and then the two women walked away.

Nikko watched as they separated, each going to speak with different teachers, and his stomach dropped.  He felt nauseous.

Nothing good would come from this.


	10. Trick-or-Tails, part two

 

 

 

The Halloween party was in full swing.  People were chatting and laughing, animals were playing and... playing.  Ginger and Kent had re-joined Nikko at their table, as did Buck after he finished helping Gus in the bathroom.  They made conversation, frequently punctuated by loud laughter.

Nikko hardly paid attention.

Their students continued to spin each other around on the dance floor, getting further and further away from actual dancing, until two dark figures floated out onto the floor.  Ruka and Toto both had the hoods of their druid costumes pulled back, and the smaller rabbit pulled his brother along by the hand.  Then they faced each other, took their stance, and began to move perfectly to the music.

Either Noella had taught them to dance, or – as Nikko suspected was the case – they had learned simply from watching humans.  In any case, they made a lovely pair, even if Nikko still couldn't get over that they were brothers.  He had to remind himself again that they were animals.

Just like Knight was.

Knight and Tina paused in their roughhousing with the others to watch the rabbits, as they had watched Ginger and Kent earlier.  Then they simultaneously looked at each other, smiled, and joined hands.  Their movements were awkward and clumsy, they still didn't seem to get music, but somehow, they were dancing.

They looked exquisite together, and it made Nikko's chest hurt even as he acknowledged that that was how it should be.  Knight had so much affection to give, he should give it to another animal; another fennec, even.  They even looked right for each other, Knight tall and Tina tiny, fitting against each other like they were carved out of the same piece of fate.

A small whimper sounded from the back of Nikko's throat, and he covered it with a cough.

"Are you okay?" Ginger asked.  She was sitting almost directly across from him in their small huddle, Kent at her side.

"Yeah," Nikko answered.  "Just...  My throat's a little dry."

"No, I mean, you've been awfully quiet."

"Ah, I was just thinking."

"About?"  Her voice lilted up in friendly curiosity.

There was another issue at hand, and while he didn't know for sure, he took a chance and asked "Is there some kind of contest tonight?"  When he had spoken to Jack about the party a week ago, all he had been told was that the students should wear costumes.  The conversation he had overheard earlier, though, was his first clue that there was more to the evening's program of events, and he wasn't sure it was going to turn out well.

"Yeah," Ginger answered.  "There's usually a costume contest for the students, and the teachers get to vote.  It's fun."

"O-Oh..."  He wondered if creating competition amongst the students was really a good idea, but kept that opinion to himself.

"Tina always does well, doesn't she?" Ginger asked, turning to Kent.

"Yes, she came in fourth last year.  She only lost to Ben by three points, if memory serves."

There was a short round of 'ooh' and 'so close!' before Ginger laughed.  "Penny seems to think wagging her ass is going to get her votes.  She doesn't seem to _get_ that it's humans voting."

Nikko winced inwardly, reminded again that it wasn't normal to be sexually attracted to the students.

"Gus just don't give a shit," Buck snorted.  "He likes keepin' the candy, though."

"Are there prizes?" Nikko asked.  On one hand, he didn't like being the only one who didn't know anything, but he was grateful that everyone let him use them as a resource.  It was partially what these parties were for, he supposed.

Kent answered this time.  "There's a small trophy for first place and plaques for second and third.  It's not much, but it's a fun event that they can all compete in fairly."

"Fair my ass!" Ginger spat out.

"Mostly fairly."

Ginger turned to Nikko again.  "The fact of the matter is Miffy and Tiffy take first and second place every year.  Everyone else just competes for third."

Nikko glanced at the poodles, who were sitting dainty and fanning themselves with lace fans.  "Well, their costumes are very nice..."

"It's not even that.  They could wear rags and they'd still win."

"How?"

Ginger's brows rose, asking 'how do you think?' in the form of a "Hmm..."

"Like... bribery?"

Eyes darting away, Ginger sat back in her chair and pulled her cup to her face, taking a long drink.  Buck, on the other hand, leaned in closer.  "Not exactly, but there are some unspoken... favors."

Nikko's voice went quiet.  "What kind of favors?"

"Well, ya know how most everyone here owns their own business?"  It was true; most all of the teachers had money, usually in the form of being business owners.  Buck had his own construction company and Kent apparently did something with developing components for computers.  Even Ginger worked for herself as a freelance writer.  Nikko seemed to be the only one who needed to be careful of his finances.  "So everyone who votes for Miff and Tiff suddenly finds their stocks goin' up, or an influx of new customers.  It's not exactly bribery, since no money changes hands."

"Oh..."

There was a bout of silence, and then Kent smiled.  "That aside, I think Knight has a good chance of winning something.  Ah, but don't tell Tina I said that."

"Yeah!" Ginger chimed in.  "He looks fantastic, and everyone seems to really like him."

Nikko smiled, though it was a subdued, unsure thing.  "I think he'd like that."  Then he looked down at his hands.  The conversation he had overheard played in his mind again, and it made him uncomfortable.  "Have...  Have those ladies, Victoria or Marie...  Have they spoken to any of you tonight?"  His voice was quiet; he wondered if anyone could hear him.

"Haven't said anythin' to me," Buck answered, which was followed with a chorus of the same.  "Why?  Somethin' up?"

"Ah...  Probably not," Nikko said.  He shouldn't create enemies where there weren't yet any.  "I don't think so."

Knight bounded up to him then, a smile on his face and a spring in his step, creating the perfect chance to drop the conversation and turn his attention.  The fox grabbed Nikko's hands, pulling as he implored "Nikko!  Dance with me!"

Nikko resisted, stuttering at just how much he wanted to agree to it.  "I-  I thought you were dancing with Tina."

"She's dancing with Gus now."  Apparently dancing now meant riding piggyback while Gus spun in circles.  "And!  And I want to dance with Nikko!"  He pulled harder, and Nikko was dragged onto his feet and into Knight's chest, which would have been much nicer if he weren't wearing metal armor.

"Knight, I...  I can't," Nikko said as he righted himself.

"Why not?"  Knight had on his pleading eyes, the ones that were nigh impossible to resist.

Just then there was a pop and feedback sound from the speakers, and they – everyone – turned to see Jack standing with a microphone in hand.  Nikko was once again sure the rabbit was on to him and his inappropriate thoughts.

"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention, please."  Jack's smile was, for once, slightly less professional and slightly more plain cheery.  "It is the time you all may or may not have been waiting for.  The annual costume contest!"

A round of cheers went through the hall, mostly from the students, while the teachers largely just clapped politely.  Victoria and Marie shared a smug glance between them that made Nikko's stomach roil.

"I will review the rules," Jack continued as some of the other staff members began passing out small, pumpkin-shaped buckets to the students.  "This contest is for students only.  Students will go around to the teachers and say 'trick or treat!'  Votes are cast with candy."

Other staff members circulated the room, handing each teacher a small baggie containing several pieces of candy.  Nikko took his with a polite smile and a "Thank you."

"You can give as many candies as you wish to the students, but remember that you only have ten pieces.  Give them all to your favorite costume, or spread them out.  It's your choice.  But remember, you can _not_ vote for your own student or students.  Understood?"  There was a murmur of agreement throughout the hall.  "Does anyone have any questions?"  This time, silence.  Then Jack's smile turned up and he declared "Alright.  Let the contest begin."  And with a clap of his hands, the students began to move.

Knight turned to Nikko, clutching his little bucket in both hands, his face shining with excitement.  "Nikko!  I'm going to do trick-or-treating!"

"Yes," Nikko smiled back at him; his heart warmed for the happy fox.  "Now go."

If he could, Nikko would give Knight all of his votes.  Knowing he couldn't, Knight rushed to the nearest other teacher.  "Trick or treat!"  Knight gave Ginger his brightest smile, tail outright wagging.

"Here you go," Ginger said with a smile of her own, dropping a candy into Knight's bucket.

"Trick or treat!"  Knight turned to Kent next, and another candy plunked into the bucket.  Buck was next, happy to give his vote, but the next teacher Knight went to turned away slightly.

"Sorry," the man said, eyes pulling to the side.  "I'm saving mine for someone else."

Knight's tail paused, but then he smiled and said "Oh, okay," before moving on to the next.  "Trick or treat!"

That person, too, turned away with a murmured "Sorry..."

Knight's ears drooped; his smile was a little more forced.  "Okay..."  But he tried again.

Nikko watched Knight as he passed out his own candy, suspicious and concerned.  He had given a vote to Penny and Gus because they were his friends, as well as one each to Ruka, Toto, Ben, and Jerry as they came up to him.  Two candies went to Tina, because she really was adorable, and two to Axle, even if his pirate costume was a bit plain, just because of Nikko's love for rottweilers.  His candy went surprisingly quick, going to the first students who came his way, and he felt bad for the cat in a fairy costume that he had to turn away, before deciding to hold his baggie upside-down to let others know he was out.

Knight had gotten another candy from Alice, apparently her last one, and another from Noella, bringing his spirit back.  When he spotted Reece, he bounded over, gave a cheerful "Trick or treat!"

Reece denied him.  They were too far away for Nikko to hear, but he saw Reece's hand go up and Knight's ears droop again, even though the man clearly had some candy left to give.

The next teacher Knight tried was much the same, simply turning her shoulder away before Knight could even speak, hand still in her baggie.  Every attempt Knight made was denied, and every denial broke him a little bit more.  His ears were flat, his tail was limp, and each "Trick or treat" was quieter than the previous.

Eventually, Knight slinked back to Nikko.  His bucket was nearly empty, compared to the other students' considerably fuller ones.  "Nikko...  Nobody likes my costume..."

"It's-"  Nikko swallowed the rising lump of heartbreak and anger.  "It's not that.  Try...  Try those guys over there."  He gestured to some teachers who still seemed to have plenty of candy.  "They can give you something."

"Okay..."

Those teachers also each turned him away, and then the crying began.  Tears poured down Knight's face, his voice little more than a cracked, choked thing.  It was a pathetic, distressing sight.  He kept trying, though, going to everyone he saw, approaching teachers who had already turned him away twice.  Most of the time he couldn't get out more than a forced "T-Trick..." before his throat closed off.

Nikko looked to Victoria and Marie, who looked directly back at him, smug sneers on their painted faces.  This was absolutely their doing; they had used their influence to convince people to turn Knight away, and the people had listened.  They were _cruel_.  Not caring for hybrids was one thing, but Knight was innocent.  He had never done anything to them – he had never even met them.  To do this to him just because of how he was born was beyond heartless.  They were malicious; they were evil.

He turned to Jack, who was watching the event with a deep frown on his face, his buck teeth worrying at his bottom lip.  Nikko needed to tell him what he had overheard, that this was done on purpose, maliciously.  He needed Jack to put a stop to this.

Except that his feet wouldn't move.  As always, when he most needed to be strong, he instead was gripped with fear.  Fear of causing a disturbance.  Fear of making a scene.  He couldn't even berate himself for it, too frozen in place to even think.

Then a hand gripped his arm, firm, and began pulling him.  "Come on," Ginger said, voice as icy as the look in her eyes.  And it was Ginger who confronted Jack, demanding "This needs to be stopped."  Nikko was at the same time grateful for her and angry that she had to be the one to speak.

"There's...  There's nothing I can do..."  Even Jack seemed to be at a loss.

"You know those _bitches_ set this up."

"There's no-  No proof."

Nikko spoke up then, quietly, his voice quaking.  "I heard them.  I heard them say they were going to make sure Knight comes in last.  They did it on purpose.  They want to _hurt_ him."

"You _know_ they pull favors to get their way," Ginger added.

"Is...  Is there evidence?  Or only your word and rumors?"  And they were silent, because Jack's crystal clear point was right, as much as all three of them hated to admit it.  His voice went low.  "I told you before; they donate a lot of money to the program.  It would be bad if we lost that funding.  So...  I'm _so_ sorry, but if there's no proof of wrongdoing, I can't accuse them.  I wouldn't dare.  I'm sorry.  I'll make it up to him.  I'll give him all the leftover candy.  I'll-  I'll buy him candy myself!  I'll have a special trophy made just for him without letting anyone know."

"Don't bother."  Nikko scowled, his anger beginning to show at last.  He knew it wasn't Jack's fault and he shouldn't take it out on the hapless rabbit, but he was pissed and frustrated.  "I'll do something myself."

Ginger looked genuinely shocked at his tone, questioning "Nikko?"

He didn't respond, only turned around to face the party again.  Knight stood in the center of the room, having given up trying to trick-or-treat and just crying, loud sobs drowning out the music, the conversation, everything.  Everyone had stopped what they were doing and stared at him, some at least having the decency to look ashamed of what they had done.  Most of the other students looked confused as Knight dropped his bucket to press his hands to his eyes.  The five measly candies he had received spilled onto the floor.

Even if this farce of a contest couldn't be stopped, Nikko would call them out.  Openly.  Publicly.  He took a deep breath – he had to do this.  Even if his voice shook, even if he was no longer welcome to come to events, he would let them know how awful they were.

But before he could speak, a small, dark figure approached Knight.  Everyone watched with held breath as Ruka scooped the dropped bucket up off the floor, then grabbed Knight's arm and pulled it away from his face.  Knight's sobs hitched, croaking a broken "Wha-?" as Ruka shoved the bucket into his hands.

Then Ruka lifted his own bucket, tipping it over Knight's.  The colorful fall of candy poured into Knight's bucket, giving him every last piece.  Knight's sobbing stopped; his eyes went wide as he watched the exchange, jaw hanging open in shock.  And then, just as nonchalantly as he had strode up, Ruka walked away.

Toto was right behind him.  He had picked up Knight's original five pieces and dropped them into the bucket, then turned his own over, doubling what Ruka had put in, and gave Knight his gentle smile.

Tina was next, rushing over to add her candy to the collection, and Penny joined in as well.  So did Gus and Ben, and the cat in a fairy costume.

One after the other, the animals surrounded Knight, giving him their candy – their votes – and with each one Knight's tears disappeared.  His eyes began to shine; he _smiled_ , broad and bright, at the outpouring of support.  He ended up with so much candy, his too-tiny bucket overflowed, and the other students began to just hand him their entire buckets.  By the end, Knight was covered in candy and laughing with the purest joy.

Nikko felt his own tears sliding down his face, until Ginger laughed at him and wiped them away for him, giggling "Softie."

"Oh, quiet.  You're crying too."

"I am not!"

A furious shriek pierced through the hall, interrupting the mood, and Victoria stormed up to Jack, Marie close on her heel.  "That does not count!  That mutt needs to be disqualified!"

"What for?" Jack asked.  The question was straightforward, but there was a challenge in the rise of his eyebrow.

"That's cheating!"

Then Jack clasped his hands in front of him, all business.  "I'm sorry, Madam, but there is currently no rule against the students giving _each other_ candy.  We will review and revise the rules for next year, but at present, there is no foul."

All the woman could do was give an almost inhuman growl, and then she stomped away, snapping "We're leaving!" at Miffy – or was hers Tiffy? – as she snatched up her fur coat.

From across the hall, Nikko met Knight's gaze.  Arms full of candy and heart full of joy, Knight's smile was dazzling.

Just as bright, Nikko smiled back.

 

 

 

Knight bounced from one foot to the other, small trophy clutched in both hands, as he waited outside the hall's doors.  His yellow eyes scanned the people coming out, searching, and when he spotted the pair of black rabbit ears, he bounded over.  Nikko followed at a more casual pace.

"R-Ruka..." Knight started, suddenly shy.  He hadn't actually spoken to either of the rabbits directly before.  "I...  Um...  Thank you!"  He smiled; a blush touched his cheeks.  "Because of you... everyone became so nice to me."

Ruka's bright blue eyes turned away and his ears, now standing straight up, twitched.  "I didn't do anything," he mumbled, then shrugged and walked away.

Nikko couldn't help a chuckle, and then he turned to Noella.  "Really, thank you so much."

Noella smiled back and shook her head.  "He's learned empathy.  We're really proud of him."  Then she glanced to her other bunny-boy.  "Right?"

"Yes!"  Toto's eternally gentle smile remained forever on his lips.  "Ruka is the cutest."

Nikko laughed, even as his face dusted with pink.  Toto seemed to have some catching up to do.  But he nodded to them both.  "I'll see you at the next party then."

"Yeah," Noella responded.  "I look forward to it."

They went back to Buck and Gus, who had offered to give them a ride home so they didn't have to walk in the chill darkness.  With a "Ready ta go?" and a thumbs-up, they climbed into the humongous pickup, Nikko taking the passenger seat while Knight sat in back next to Gus, who was clinging to his bucket of candy like his life depended on it.

While the tradition, apparently, was for the students to keep the candy votes they had received in the contest, this year most of them would have gone home contently empty-handed.  It was Knight who suggested that all of the candy be divided equally among the students, and in that moment Nikko's heart swelled to bursting with affection and _pride_ for the fox.  He definitely understood where Noella was coming from when she admitted she was proud of Ruka.  The students may have "mostly animal" minds, but they were still capable of being pretty decent people.

"What a night, huh?" Buck said conversationally as they streaked down the road.

"Yeah."  Nikko tugged on his seatbelt again, making sure it was secure.  "I'm... really grateful to Ruka, actually.  I think if he hadn't stepped up like that, things wouldn't have ended so well."

"Yeah, man.  We're gonna miss that little runt when he's gone."

Nikko blinked, looking at Buck, whose eyes stayed on the streets ahead.  "Gone?  Are they moving?"

"Nah, but the way I figure-"  Buck glanced to Nikko then, briefly, before turning back to the windshield.  "And this is just my observation, mind you, but with the way he acted a couple'a times tonight, I think he's on the verge of graduatin'."

Nikko's mouth dropped open in a tiny "Ah..."  It made sense, putting everything together.  It explained a few things.  "Is that why he tried keeping his ears down as long as possible?"

"I 'spect so.  And why he wouldn't mount Penny."  A grin spread across Buck's face as a blush bloomed over Nikko's.

"W-Well, that's good news, then.  Good for him."

"Yeah.  Dunno about Toto, though."

Nikko answered with a whispered "Oh, yeah..." and for a moment, the truck fell silent.

Until, from the back, Knight asked "Nikko, what's 'mount'?"

His blush burned hotter, while Buck just laughed out loud.

 

 

 

"Nikko!"  Knight twirled around in the living room, still laden with the metal armor, then beamed.  He looked so happy, it was hard to believe he had spent any time at all that night crying his eyes out.  "Let's dance!"

Having kicked the awful heels off as soon as he walked in the door, it actually felt strange to walk with solid steps again.  His feet hurt; he vowed to burn the shoes until there wasn't even ash left, or at least throw them in the garbage.  "I am way too tired to dance," he said, enjoying the feel of plush carpet on his battered feet as he tossed the cone headdress to the couch.  "Some other time."

Knight pouted.

In reality, Nikko would have loved to dance with Knight, pressed tight to his chest.  Not cheek-to-cheek, of course, because Nikko wasn't nearly tall enough, but their bodies would be snuggled together all the same.  They would sway gracefully to imagined music, smiling, hearts beating in tune.  Maybe Knight would dip him and they would laugh.  Maybe Knight would sweep him off his feet.  Except that these were concepts Knight didn't understand.

"Sorry," Nikko said, giving a tired smile.

Knight didn't give him a choice in the matter.  He grabbed Nikko's hands and spun him around, a playful chuckle bubbling from him.  A hand went to Nikko's back despite his sputtering protests, and then Knight began to move their bodies together.  He hummed, tuneless, as he imitated the moves he had seen earlier, and it was all Nikko could do to keep from tripping over his dress.

Their movements were far from smooth.  Nikko looked up with a scowl that dissolved as soon as he saw the happiness on Knight's face.  Knight beamed at him.  "Nikko, we're dancing!"

And Nikko smiled, defeated.  "Yeah."  Then he yelped when his foot banged into the coffee table, bruising his ankle and tripping him.  He fell to the floor, Knight tumbling after, and Nikko flinched, bracing himself for the crush of a metal-clad fox-man.

A still second later, Nikko cracked open an eye.  Knight had caught himself on his arms, sparing Nikko as he held himself hovering above.  It was like a fairytale, appropriately dressed as they were, faces close from how they all-too-conveniently fell.  Nikko's body warmed, the press of Knight on top of him making his cock twitch.

"This...  This is why we shouldn't dance at home," he said, trying to focus his spiraling thoughts.

"Nikko..."  Knight spoke so gently, it made Nikko's heart pound.  And then Knight leaned down.

His nose pressed against Nikko's neck, sniffing, a long, deep breath to take in Nikko's scent.  Nikko's hands were frozen where they had landed on the carpet, as unable to shoo Knight away as his stolen voice was.  His heart beat faster and his dick swelled further as Knight moved down Nikko's body, little sniffs coming from a nose sensitive enough to smell arousal.

"Nikko smells good," Knight murmured.

"Knight..."

"I like when Nikko smells like this, but I don't know why."  His hand slid along Nikko's leg, pushing up the pink taffeta.  "Why do you smell so delicious, Nikko?"

His hands twitched, balling into small fists.  His erection grew so hard it became painful.  "Knight, please don't."

"I don't understand.  Nobody else smells like Nikko does."

Then Knight's nose touched Nikko's shaft, only the fabric of his trunks separating them.  Nikko gasped, a strangled sound pulled from his throat.  It was a tease, that pert nose questing its way along the length of his dick, not touching enough to give any gratification, only enough to drive him out of his mind.  The hands that should have been pushing Knight away instead reached down and pulled his head closer; the voice that should have been reprimanding instead moaned in need and long-suppressed want.  Nikko had lost control of himself, only able to follow along with the demands of his body and Knight.

A knock came to the door, and the world went still.

At first, Nikko didn't recognize what it was, didn't recognize where or _who_ he was.  Then another knock – louder – blew the haze of lust right out of his head.  He sat up like a shot, scrambled away from Knight's curious face, and took a handful of heavy, panting breaths. His body flushed hot, his dick still hard.  He was ashamed and embarrassed of what he had been doing, what he had been allowing to happen.

Quickly, Nikko got to his feet and went to the door, taking a moment to make sure the dress was, in fact, poofy enough that his erection wasn't noticeable.

It was Buck at the door, holding the replica sword from Knight's costume.  Nikko hadn't even noticed it was missing.  "Oh, Buck..." he managed to say, voice miraculously close to normal.  "What's up?"

"Gus tried ta steal this," Buck said as he lifted the sword.  "I'm really sorry."

"Oh.  It's... no big deal."  He took the fake weapon when Buck handed it over.

"Yeah, well, he's grounded for the rest of his life."

Nikko chuckled, only partially forced.  "Uh, please go easy on him, for me."

"Eh, we'll see," Buck replied, lips quirking up in a half-smile.  But then his hazel eyes narrowed and his brows drew together.  "You alright?  Ya look a little flushed."

"I- I'm fine," Nikko said quickly, mind racing.  "I just...  Just thought it might be someone important about to see me in a dress."

"Are you sayin' I ain't important?"

"Not at all."

Buck laughed, and then took a step back.  "All right.  Well, sorry again."

Nikko's smile grew more sincere as he responded "Don't worry about it."

They said their goodnights, and the door closed to a quiet apartment.  Nikko stood in the dark entrance hallway for a moment, eyes on the sword without really seeing it.  Guilt churned in his stomach, eating away at him now that he was in his right mind.

This wasn't Knight's fault.  Knight was just acting on instinct, unaware of what he was doing.  He had no way of knowing what his actions meant to a human, and it was all Nikko's fault for failing to teach him.

He had to get over his own prudish embarrassment and do what he had promised to do.


	11. Honey & Nikko

 

 

 

Nobody in the world smelled like Nikko did.

Sometimes, he smelled normal, like a fresh, clean human.  Knight's senses had dulled a bit since gaining this body, but he could still smell the difference between human and animal, between living and non-living, between edible and not edible.  Most of the time, Nikko just smelled like Nikko, and that was that.

But sometimes Nikko smelled like the sweetest honey and cream, like something delicious.  Sometimes Nikko smelled like he was hiding a treat inside himself.  Knight wondered what it tasted like.

He understood where it came from.  He pinpointed the place where the scent originated, where it was strongest, but he hadn't yet figured out why it was only Nikko.  Other people had those places – animals did too – but Nikko's scent was the one he liked best.  It was better, sweeter than anyone else's, for some reason.

He also didn't get what made it happen.  The scent came at many different times, and his small, animal mind couldn't piece together what set it off.  Sometimes it came when they were watching TV, lying comfortably together on the couch.  Sometimes it happened when they were changing clothes, getting ready to go out, or turn in.  Often it came when Nikko was in the shower, the sweet scent difficult to catch amongst the smell of water and soap, but there if he concentrated enough.

Sometimes, like early that Tuesday morning, it came when Nikko was sleeping.

Knight's nose twitched when he caught the scent, and he lifted his face from where it had been resting on Nikko's chest.  His arms were folded under him, wobbly from lack of circulation, but he managed to raise himself up and looked at Nikko's face.  He was sleeping deeply, breaths coming even.  He looked soft.

His tail curled of its own accord as a tiny smile spread over Knight's face.  Then he leaned up and pecked his lips against Nikko's; he had seen people on TV do that.

It was a chance to do a little investigation.  Nikko always seemed so nervous when he knew Knight could smell it – well, Nikko always seemed nervous about many things – but if he were asleep, he couldn't be nervous.  So Knight moved down, moving his nose toward Nikko's waist, lower.

As suspected, the scent came from Nikko's genital, but it didn't smell like urine.  Knight knew _that_ scent, and this was very different.

Nikko's genital was hard, seemed bigger than usual.  Knight pressed his nose to it, taking in that sweet scent, and his tail wagged in delight.  Small sniffs travelled up and around the length.  The scent seemed stronger at the top, and Knight lingered there a moment, pressed closer, eyelids drooping in pleasure until a small sound like a whimper came from Nikko.  Knight's head lifted, alert and watching Nikko's face carefully until he was sure it was just a sleep sound.

His curiosity had gotten to him; he wanted more, wanted to explore further.  He wanted to know more about and be closer with Nikko.  Taking a chance, Knight sat up and climbed over one of Nikko's legs until he was nestled in between, pushing the blanket off of the both of them as he went.  Then when he was again assured that Nikko was still asleep, Knight tugged gently at the flannel pajama pants, pulling them down to mid-thigh.

The scent came stronger, wafting to Knight's nose as it escaped the confines of Nikko's pants.  It made Knight's own body feel strange and tight, and his tail wagged harder, curling out of his control.

Even in the darkness, Knight could see Nikko's genital lifting the front of his underwear.  It was funny, but also strange.  There was definitely something different about it when it was making the sweet scent.  So Knight leaned down again, brought his nose close again, inhaled along the length again.  And though he heard the sleep-laden moan that Nikko gave, he ignored it, unwilling to pull away from the ambrosia before him.  When he reached the top of Nikko's genital, he found a wet spot darkening the cloth of the plain trunks, and Knight sucked that spot in between his lips.

That was it!

It was _good_ , that taste of honey and cream and _Nikko_ , like nothing Knight had tasted before.  He didn't know how or why it came from Nikko's body; all he knew was that he wanted _more_.  He wanted to taste everything inside Nikko, and he didn't ever want to taste anything else again.

He forgot care and caution; his hand raced up to yank Nikko's underwear down, his body almost moving on its own.  The motion must have jerked Nikko awake, because his almost frightened voice began to cry out "Knight!?  Knight, what are you-!?"  He was too late, though.  Knight had found what he was looking for, the nectar a glistening droplet at Nikko's tip, and he licked it away.

Nikko cried out, his voice a lovely sort of pain as another drop replaced the previous, and Knight lapped at that one too.  More droplets came, a ceaseless supply, and Knight greedily took them all, sparing a moment to run his tongue flat over the tip of Nikko's genital, cleaning away anything that may have smeared, wanting every last bit.  Nikko gasped and moaned with every pass of Knight's tongue; his legs on either side of Knight were tense; his breaths were heavy and panting.

Before Nikko could inevitably push him away, Knight wrapped his lips around the flesh in front of him, determined to get as much of that flavor as he could.  Nikko gasped, voice strained, and his hips pushed up.  Knight's mouth filled with Nikko, that sensitive part pushing past his lips, and he sucked on it in hopes of drawing out more of that sweet flavor.

" _Knight_ ," Nikko gasped out, broken and breathy.  "Knight...  Don't..."  He panted.  "That's..."  And then he moaned loud, a sound even Knight understood was in pleasure.  "Feels... _good_..."

Knight's tail wagged hard.  He was making Nikko feel good!  Somehow, having his mouth on Nikko's genital gave him pleasure, and that made Knight as happy as getting to taste his sweetness did.  So he sucked again, harder, following the small movements of Nikko's hips until he was sliding his mouth up and down along the flesh.  His tongue continued to swipe at the tip, taking away every drop of the nectar that seemed to flow unending.

Nikko's panting breaths came faster, harsher.  He moaned, gasped gibberish, whimpered Knight's name.  And then he _screamed_.  His hips jerked up, shoving himself all the way into Knight's mouth, and a flood of that sweet taste poured out of him.

_That_ was what he wanted.  Every bit of that taste, that honey that came from Nikko, Knight swallowed down.  He would never be able to get enough, and he whimpered when the flow began to ebb.  He continued to suck, sucked harder, greedy, wanting more.

"Stop!  _Stop_!"  Nikko's voice was clearer, a definite order that Knight obeyed, pulling away at the same time Nikko began to flail his legs until he had sat up.  He yanked his pants and underwear back up, breathing heavy.  His body trembled enough to make the bed quiver, and Knight wondered with a broken heart if he had hurt Nikko.

"Nikko-"

" _Knight_."  Nikko cut him off, but then remained silent.  A handful of moments later, Nikko slid off the bed and left the room, left Knight sitting alone in the dark.  Not long after, there was a sound of the shower turning on.

Knight's head drooped.  His hand slid to the tight spot between his legs, and his brows furrowed.

His own genital was hard.

 

 

 

There was a hole in Knight's studies.

To learn things about the world of humans, the students were sent a series of textbooks and complementary workbooks and homework exercise books for all the things they needed to know.  All of the materials were made by the research company itself, and the best part, according to Nikko, was that they were sent for free.  During the day, Knight would read the assigned pages in the text and do the matching practice pages in the workbook, usually two or three subjects per day.  When Nikko came home from work, they would discuss what Knight had studied and any questions would be answered.  Nikko seemed to know a lot of things, and Knight loved their evening chats about the various studies.  It made him feel slightly more _human_ to be able to talk about each subject.  And if there were any questions that neither of them could figure out the answer to, they would open up Nikko's laptop computer and find the answer together.  Knight loved doing that too.

Homework was done on Knight's own time throughout the week, to keep the information fresh.  Nikko would check his answers and correct any mistakes, and always gave explanations that were easy to understand.  He was such a good teacher, and Knight was happy to learn so much from Nikko.

It took three months to complete one set of books.  After the second set, Nikko gave Knight a test, and when Knight passed with what Nikko called "flying colors," they went out to eat at a special all-you-can-eat cake restaurant to celebrate.  Knight was so happy!

But there was a hole in his studies.  One chapter from all of the science books went untouched, and the one time Knight had asked about it, Nikko just said they would get to it later.  Months had passed and that later never came, but Knight trusted Nikko knew what was best.

It seemed it was finally 'later'.

Knight hadn't seen Nikko anymore that morning.  He wanted to; he wanted so badly to apologize for hurting – maybe hurting – Nikko.  He had waited in Nikko's room, waited for Nikko to finish his shower and come back, and Knight would say he was sorry, but Nikko never came back.  He must have had to go to work early.  He must have gone to work in his pajamas and without coffee, because he never came back to the room, and Knight never left to make breakfast.

When Knight finally did leave the room, the apartment was quiet, and Nikko's work bag was gone.  His ears drooped and his tail went limp, as did his genital, which had been sticking up all morning.  He told himself Nikko would come back – he would! – and Knight would apologize properly then.  He would promise never to hurt Nikko again.

_If_ he had hurt Nikko, but Nikko had said it felt good, being licked, being tasted.  He had made pleasure noises, had moved his hips to go into Knight's mouth more.  Maybe it had hurt, maybe it had felt good.  Knight didn't understand, and he wanted to ask Nikko, but Nikko had left.

Knight's own breakfast was milk and some hard-boiled eggs.  He watched TV while he ate, but couldn't really pay attention, so he turned it off, cleaned up, and went to the study schedule posted on the fridge.  Nikko had all of Knight's lessons planned out for the month, clearly marked on an easy-to-read chart that even Knight understood.  He worked so hard to make sure Knight's learning was organized.

That day he would start with geography.  They were practicing reading maps – he remembered that from last week – and this would be a continuation.  The exercises and homework were pretty fun for geography lessons; Knight enjoyed guessing where the countries were and drawing lakes and rivers.  He liked learning the names of mountain ranges and volcanoes, even if they were hard to remember.

The second subject, however, had been crossed off.  A scribble of pen blackened out most of 'Science – Geology' and written above it was 'Science – Human Sexuality'.  The page numbers were written, and 'Book 1' was clearly circled.  All of the science lessons for the entire month had gotten the same treatment, every topic replaced with Human Sexuality.

They were finally going to fill the hole in Knight's studies.

He got to it right away, curious about the topic that Nikko had avoided for so long.  His curiosity was piqued, and his tail curled lightly as he settled onto the couch with science book number one.  And though the first lessons on any given topic were basic introductions, he immediately found it fascinating.

Some things he knew already.  He knew boys and girls had different parts, but now he had words for them.  Now he had an idea of what they did – it was interesting!  The text talked about how human parts and animal parts were different, and also how they were the same; there wasn't such a huge gap between living things.

The workbook had diagrams for him to label and color, and Knight hummed to himself as he dug out his colored pencils.  He was very careful to make each part a different color so it was easy to see the various puzzle pieces that made up the human body, and when it was finished he skipped to Nikko's bedroom, workbook in hand, and stripped off all his clothes.  As he stood in front of the tall mirror on Nikko's closet door, he compared the diagram to himself, and realized for the first time that his body was really _human_.  His penis stayed out, like a human, not sheathed like an animal, and his...  – he checked the diagram – ... his scrotum hung close below.  Aside from the ears and tail, he had a completely human body, and it made Knight so _happy_.

He couldn't wait to tell Nikko.

He moved to return to the living room, but then paused before taking a single step.  His mind turned for a moment, things slowly falling into place, knocking loose questions as they landed.  Looking back to the mirror, he ran a hand along his genital – his penis.  It made him shiver.

If his body was human, like Nikko's, did he also have a sweetness inside?  Could Nikko smell it?  Did Nikko want to taste it?

His textbooks held a clue – he just knew it – and his thirst for more knowledge had Knight zipping back to the living room, back to his books.  He started reading beyond the assigned pages, needing to know more, unlocking mysteries about the human body he didn't even know were mysterious.  And when he read everything science book one had to say about human sexuality, he fetched book two, continuing the saga.  That one moved from all the biological parts and their functions to the act of copulating.  How humans mated, how they reproduced.

When a man was interested in mating, his penis got bigger and stiffer.  Became _erect_ , the book said, so that it could enter a woman.  The man's testes produced sperm – Was that what it was? – the woman's ovaries released an egg.  When they came together, a baby was made.  So...  So, when a man got hard, he wanted to make a baby.

A baby...

A baby?

He caught the sound of Nikko's footsteps, light and uneven, and he got up from where he had been sitting on the floor.  It was good timing; he had so many questions!

"Nikko!"  Knight pounced as soon as the door was open.  "Do you want a baby!?"

With only a single glance, Nikko's eyes shot open wide.  He slammed the door shut quickly, yelping "Knight!"  His back remained turned away as he sputtered "Wh-Where are your clothes!?"

"Oh."  Knight looked down at himself, still naked.  "I forgot."

"Go get dressed!"

"Ah, okay..."  He slinked back to the bedroom where he had left his clothes, passing by the mirror again.  His mind was overwhelmed with thoughts and questions – so many questions – and his brain felt a bit scrambled.

When he was dressed again, he went back to the living room.  Nikko was at the coffee table, holding the science books in his hands, a small crease in his brow.  "Knight, did you read these today?"

"Y-Yes..." Knight answered nervously.  Was Nikko mad?  The chart said to do book one, pages 163 to 166, and _only_ book one.  Knight had done more of his own accord without thinking about how it might mess up the schedule Nikko had taken the time to craft.  Perhaps that had been a bad thing to do.  "I-!  I was so curious, and began reading a lot.  I'm sorry..."

"It...  It's okay."

"I forgot to study geography..."

Nikko made a sound like acknowledgement, or defeat.  "It's... okay.  We can adjust the study schedule."

"I forgot to make dinner, too..."  Knight's ears drooped.

Setting the books down, Nikko began to move toward the kitchen.  "It's all right.  We can have leftovers.  Do you mind having Hamburger Helper again?"  There was a little smile on his face, but it didn't look real.  He sounded normal, casual, but his movements were stiff.  His muscles were tense.  As he passed by, he kept a certain distance from Knight.

"Nikko!"  Knight rushed forward, wanting to be closer, wanting to be in Nikko's space, but when Nikko scurried back, fear replacing his pretend easygoing expression, Knight froze.  Nikko was afraid, scared Knight would hurt him again.  It made Knight's chest squeeze in pain and his eyes brim with tears.  He bit his lip in an attempt to keep from crying.  "Nikko, I-  I'm sorry!"  His chest heaved; it became harder to talk.  "If I-  If I _hurt_ you this morning...  I'm sorry.  I-  _Yiff_ -  I just..."  Then a sob broke out of him.

A thousand different things crossed Nikko's face, but his gaze remained steady on Knight.  Then he just said "Knight..." and grabbed Knight's hand.  For a moment, they stood like that, letting energy flow between the small touch, until Nikko finally pulled Knight's hand, leading him to the living room couch.  "Come here."

They sat for a bit, a cushion-length between them, only Knight's sniffles breaking the silence.  He wondered if Nikko would calmly tell him they were going to have one last dinner and then take him back to the facility.  He wondered if Nikko would put distance between them again, together but not.  He wondered which would be worse.

A long while passed, and then another, and then Nikko's small mouth opened to speak.  "What happened this morning..." he started slowly.  "It...  It didn't hurt.  You don't have to worry about that, okay?"

It made Knight feel minimally better, though his heart continued to knead itself to mush.  "Did...  Did it feel good?"  That's what Nikko had said at that time, panted out between harsh breaths.  He had said that it felt good.

Nikko's cheeks colored pink.  He looked cute – cuter – when that happened.  His mouth seemed to be stuck for a second, but finally he said "Yes...  It did, but..."  Then he sighed a breath.  "But, Knight, you can't do that.  Okay?"

"But why!?  If it felt good-!?"

"You just can't!  All right?"

Knight both scowled and whimpered, and a beat later Nikko stood up, walking out of the living room.  He had made Nikko angry again, and he desperately tried to figure out how, even as he was wracked with tears and sadness.  He wanted Nikko to feel good – why was that bad?  Why was that forbidden?

Only a bare moment later, however, Nikko came back, carrying the thick, blue care guide he had been given months ago.  Knight hadn't seen it for a long time.

Nikko set the book down on the coffee table and sat on the floor beside it.  His voice was calmer, gentle, as he said "Knight, come here," while flipping to a page near the front.  When Knight scooted further up on the couch, quietly obeying the request, Nikko turned the book toward him.  The pages contained a numbered list, some entries long and wordy, others short and concise, all of them weighty commandments that Knight had been told many times before, even if he didn't always understand them.  "Do you know what these are?" Nikko asked, even though they both knew the answer.

"Yes, they're our rules."

"And do you know what rules are?"

"They're things we must or must not do."

"Very good."  Then Nikko pointed a small finger at one of the entries.  "Can you read this one?"

Knight looked down at the book, reading the printed words out loud.  "Students will remain property of the company.  Upon graduation, students shall be returned to their local branch facility."

"Very good," Nikko said again, and then his finger moved.  "How about this one?"

"Students are forbidden from harming any human.  If a student purposely inflicts harm on a human, he or she shall face punishment of reprimand or termination.  Student may be removed from the care of his or her teacher."

"And this one?"

"Teachers are forbidden from harming students.  If a teacher purposely inflicts harm or neglects his or her student, he or she shall face punishment of a fine or jail time.  Students will be removed from the care of the teacher."

"Good."  Then Nikko paused, took a breath.  His finger moved again.  "How about this one?"

"Sexual relations between teachers and students are forbidden.  Teachers found in violation shall face punishment of a fine or jail time.  Students will be removed from the care of the teacher."

They fell quiet.  Time ticked away in deafening silence, until Nikko finally asked "Do you understand?  We can't do... what happened this morning, because it's against the rules.  They-  They'll take you away from me."

Knight's lip trembled and he bit it, one of his small canines slicing, drawing blood.  "But-  But that wasn't sexual!  The book-!"  He grabbed science book two, hands shaking so hard he almost dropped it.  "The book says sex is with a man and a woman to make a baby!  So-!  So it's different!"

Nikko took the book from his frantic hands, giving him nothing to cling to, but his voice was calm.  "No, there's more to it than that.  For humans, sex is also used to bring two people closer.  Sometimes it's done just for pleasure, and it can be between two men or two women as well.  It can be done with hands or mouths or... other... things.  But it's all...  It's all sexual, and it's all against the rules."

His whole body began to shake, fear ripping through him.  He had broken a rule, and it sounded like an important one.  He was going to be taken away from Nikko; he was going to break his promise to never leave, and all he could do was press his hands to his face and cry.  "I'm-  I'm sorry, Nikko!"

Then Nikko's slight weight was next to him on the couch, and slim arms wrapped around him.  Knight allowed himself to be pulled against Nikko's chest, comforted by the touch and scent of Nikko.  "Shh..."  Nikko's voice was soothing, angelic, so capable of influencing Knight's moods.  "Don't cry."

"I-  _Yiff_!  I don't want to be taken away from Nikko!"  He would rather be destroyed.

"Knight, it's okay."  A small hand buried into Knight's hair, petting, soothing, calming.  "Nobody else knows what happened, right?  If we keep it a secret, you won't get taken away.  Okay?"

Knight looked up suddenly, facing Nikko, who also had tears in his eyes.  "I'll keep it a secret!" Knight declared, finding hope in all this.  "I won't tell anyone, I promise!  So don't let them take me!"

"Okay."  Nikko's hand moved to touch Knight's face; it felt good.  "It'll be okay, as long as nobody knows.  But, Knight..."  Then Nikko's hand slid down to tug at Knight's hair, then down further to take Knight's hand.  "It _is_ against the rules, so we can't...  You mustn't do anything like that again, okay?"

He nodded, even as a pout found its way to his face.  "Okay..."

"Good boy."  Nikko smiled, then pulled Knight to him again, tightening the embrace.  "You're a good boy."

Knight's tail curled as he snuggled against Nikko's chest.  His heart hurt, but he felt a small bit of relief.  Nikko wasn't mad, and they would keep his mistake a secret, so he wouldn't get taken away.  He was sad that he wouldn't get to taste Nikko again, but at least they could stay together.  That was most important; that was what Knight wanted, needed.  If he could stay with Nikko forever just like this, he would be happy.  And just like that, pressed against Nikko's warmth, Knight smiled.

He felt like they were in a world of their own, even if they were just sitting on the living room couch.  It was just the two of them, but then, wasn't it always?  Yet something felt different.  Somehow, Knight's feelings for Nikko felt different, and he didn't understand.  He didn't know why it mattered, but a question flickered to life in his mind, so he broke the lingering silence with his voice.  "Nikko?"  And at Nikko's acknowledging hum, Knight asked "If...  If those things _weren't_ against the rules, would you want to do them with me?"

Nikko went stiff, and for an anxiously long time, he didn't answer.  Maybe it was a bad question; maybe Knight had made a mistake again.  But then Nikko moved, hunching over to press his face into Knight's hair, his lips landing right between Knight's ears.  When he answered, it was a whisper on an exhaled breath.

"Yes."


	12. Little Red, Riding Wolf

 

 

 

"Knight, to what do I owe this pleasure?"

Knight liked talking to Jack.  After Nikko, Jack was the person Knight felt most comfortable talking to – sometimes he felt _more_ comfortable talking to Jack.  Jack was the one who took care of Knight all the years he was stuck at the facility unwanted, and never once did he act like Knight was a bother or that he was at all irritated by the responsibility put on him.  And Jack found Nikko for him.  Jack knew Nikko would take such good care of him.  Jack was so smart!  So Knight couldn't help but smile every time he talked to Jack.

"Jack!  I want to work!"

"To work?  As in, you want a job?"

Knight nodded so hard he almost dropped the phone.  The gold-colored device felt small in his hand, even if the things looked big compared to Nikko's tiny fingers.  Nikko had bought him the phone soon after Knight moved in with him, just in case he needed to get a hold of him while Nikko was out.  Jack's number was in the phone too, as well as Ginger's and Buck's, though he rarely called anyone.  He couldn't use the phone like a human, since his ears were so far away from his mouth, but Nikko had shown him how to use the speaker feature, and that worked perfectly.

"Yes!  Nikko told me about Christmas, so now I want to buy him a present, but I don't have any money.  So I want to work!"

Jack's light chuckle came over the line.  "That's very sweet of you, but... won't Nikko give you money for shopping?"

"He tried to give me some, but I don't want it!  I can't buy his gift with his own money.  Then he would be buying it himself.  I want to buy it myself!"

The distance between them couldn't obscure the fondness in Jack's voice, and it made Knight's tail curl.  "You're very thoughtful, aren't you?"

"Is it strange?"

"No, it's just like you."  Jack chuckled again.  "Well, we do have some work programs, though they're usually for older stu-  Ah."  He cut himself off, as if just remembering.  Knight _was_ older; he was just really far behind.  He was the only one from his batch, the only surviving hybrid on this side of the country, and all the pure-breeds born at the same time were either graduated or close to it.  Knight having taken so long to get a teacher left him much older than everyone else in his current 'class'.  "Well," Jack continued.  "If it's you, it should be okay.  So long as your studies are going well."

"Yes!" Knight exclaimed.  "I study very hard!"

"I bet you do."  There was cheer in Jack's voice.  "Then, I hope you don't mind, but I'll have to talk with Nikko about it.  But I'm sure it'll be fine."

"Thank you, Jack!"

 

 

 

There weren't many jobs that students could do, but the company did have ties with the government, and there were some things they were allowed to do where no questions would be asked and payment would be in cash.  Since technically they didn't exist on an official level – they had no social security numbers or birth certificates – it wasn't like they could apply anywhere or open a bank account.  The work program was created just for them and their in-between-human status.

Knight was assigned the task of cleaning parks.

He was given a map, a schedule, and a bright-orange vest that designated him as park staff.  He would have to start early in the morning, going from location to location as dictated by the map, and pick up any trash that littered the park grounds.  Garbage cans had to be emptied and gum scraped off the underside of picnic tables.  It sounded like fun.

Nikko went with Knight on his first day, the nerves rolling off of him in waves that Knight could smell.  He was worried, letting Knight go out alone; he seemed more worried than Knight himself was.  So Knight took his hand as they walked to the first site.  They were both wearing gloves to protect from the chilly air, but it was a comfort all the same.

"Is Nikko worried?"

"Well...  Yeah."  His cheeks were pink, which may or may not have been from the cold.  "You haven't been out on your own much, so I'm scared you'll get lost or hurt or kidnapped."  Despite his words, Nikko smiled.

"I can't be kidnapped," Knight said simply.  "I have to go home to Nikko."

Nikko smiled again, cheeks turning redder, but he didn't respond.  When they neared the park, though, he pulled his hand away from Knight's.

There was another student who had been working the park cleanup for a while; he had keys to the storage sheds and knew how to use all the equipment.  Knight was to follow him and basically do as he said, and Knight had been relieved when he was told that.  There was less chance of messing up if he were following someone else's lead.

They spotted the other student right away, standing with his arms crossed over a wide chest that donned the same vest Knight wore.  Though his ears were hidden under a knit winter cap, only a few locks of black hair sticking out from underneath, Knight could smell wolf all over him.  Nikko must have figured it out too – golden eyes the likely giveaway – because his steps stuttered.

"Nikko?"

"Ah, it's nothing..."

A smile pulled at Knight's lips.  "Nikko is scared of wolves."

" _No_.  ...  Yes."

Knight did the talking when they approached the wolf, and it made him feel a little more independent, a little more human, and he wondered if Nikko hung back for that reason, and not just because he was afraid.  "Are you Roco?"

"I am," the wolf answered as his arms dropped to his sides.

"I'm Knight."  Said with a smile.  "I'm here to work."

Roco's eyes moved up, out.  "He gonna work too?"

Knight looked back to where Nikko stood, clutching the strap of his work bag in one hand and Knight's lunchbox in the other.  "No," Knight replied, turning back.  "He has his own job.  He was just making sure I got here okay."

Roco nodded, and then gave a short "Follow me" as he turned and began walking.

Smile stuck to his face, Knight rushed back to Nikko for a moment, taking the plastic lunchbox handed to him.  "Nikko, I'm going to work now!"

Nikko returned the smile, though the worry never left his eyes.  "Call me if you need anything, and be sure to go straight home when you're finished."

"I will!"

"Then..."  Nikko reached up to tug at the strands of hair that stuck out of Knight's winter cap.  "Have a good day."

"You too, Nikko!"

Waving as he went, Knight then turned to chase after his new boss.

Roco turned out to be strict, serious, and never smiled, but he also was thorough in showing Knight how to do everything the job required.  From the park's storage shed they took a cart that carried a large garbage can, bags, and cleaning supplies, as well as some spare light bulbs and tools.  They went through the park from bottom to top, left to right, picking up trash and emptying garbage bins.  If anything was broken or damaged, Roco fixed it, and he instructed Knight on how to clean graffiti off of picnic tables.  It was physically hard work, but not challenging by any means.  It felt good to be out using his hands.

It took a couple hours to cover the first park – the largest they were assigned to – and once back at the shed, Roco filled out some paperwork on a clipboard, signed it, then told Knight to gather his things and follow.

The second location went much the same, though it was a considerably smaller park, and didn't take nearly as long.  When they were finished, they sat at a picnic table and had their lunches.  Knight smiled when he opened his lunchbox, remembering how he and Nikko had packed it together, making matching sandwiches for both of their lunches and having a long, drawn-out discussion about if they should have potato chips or an apple.  Knight liked to think they were eating their matching lunches together, separated by the span of a city.

Roco didn't smile at his lunch, but when he looked into his box with impassive gold eyes, an unusual thudding sound pricked at Knight's ears.  It wasn't a completely unfamiliar sound, though; Knight had heard it before.  He had heard it when out shopping with Penny and Gus, each of their tails confined in their human clothes, and Gus got excited over the steak Buck had bought for him.  He had heard it from Penny, being told she did indeed look 'hot' in her new off-the-shoulder shirt.  He had heard it from himself, sitting at Starbucks with Nikko, happy to see the teddy bear the barista had made out of latte foam.  It was the sound of a tail with no room to wag thumping against a seat.

Roco must have had good memories about his lunch too.

"Did your teacher make your lunch?" Knight asked.  They hadn't made much conversation while working, and Knight didn't push Roco to talk, afraid he would disturb the wolf's work.  But they were on break now, and he wanted to practice getting to know someone on his own while he could.  And besides, they would be working together for the next few weeks, so it would be good to be friends.

"Yeah," was Roco's short answer.

"Are they a good cook?"

A snort.  "No."

"What's your teacher like?"

Roco just shrugged a large shoulder, and Knight thought maybe Roco didn't really get along with his teacher.  That was a shame.  He stopped asking questions for a moment, and then changed tactics, talking about himself instead.  "Nikko is very nice to me.  We made my lunch together, and he showed me how to make many things.  And he always buys the foods I like, even if they're expensive.  And-!  And when I ripped his carpet by digging, he didn't even get mad at me."

Golden eyes flicked up to him, and Knight stopped talking.  He was stupid again.  If Roco didn't get along with his teacher, he probably didn't want to hear about Knight's teacher either.  So he let conversation drop altogether.  If they were going to work together for weeks, it would probably be best not to make Roco angry by being annoying on the very first day.

The third site was the smallest, but had some of the hardest work.  This one had a fancy design of hedges spiraling out from a fountain, and they all needed to be trimmed, pruned, and shaped, and then the trimmings had to be cleaned up and put in special bags. Between the two of them, though, they got it done in no time, and despite not knowing much about landscaping, even Knight thought the place looked great.

When they made their way back to the final site's storage shed, there was a small girl waiting.  Or rather, Knight thought it was a small girl, until they got closer and he realized her proportions weren't very child-like at all.  Especially her chest.  Her figure and scent were that of a full-grown woman; she was just very short.  Probably shorter than Nikko, but where Nikko was rather skinny, this lady was more plush, extra weight on her chest and hips, giving her a softness that Knight thought must be nice to hug.

"Finished?" she questioned in a feminine voice as they approached, a smile on her sweet lips.  Her bob of red hair fluttered in a passing breeze.  She was pretty.

"Yeah."  Roco's answer was little more than a grunt as he walked past her to the shed, unlocking it and pulling open the rusting, metal doors.

The woman's attention turned to Knight, smile never faltering even as an all-too-familiar apprehension crossed her eyes.  Knight had seen that touch of fear in Nikko's eyes many times, anxious when coming upon a new face or situation.  "Are you the new guy?" she asked.

"Yes!  I'm Knight."

"Nice to meet you, Knight.  I'm Wendy, Roco's teacher."  She seemed kind, and Knight couldn't for the life of him fathom why Roco wouldn't be able to get along with her.  "Will you be working full-time?"

"No, only part-time, until Christmas.  I'm earning money so I can buy Nikko a present."

Her smile turned up two notches.  "That's very nice of you."

Roco's voice grumbled from the shed with a brusque "Oy.  Cart."

"Ah, sorry!"  Knight ducked his head in apology, and then pushed the supply cart through the open door.

With half his attention on Knight and the other half on this site's paperwork, Roco gave swift instructions on where everything went, directing Knight to put everything back in its proper place.  Then they each loaded their arms with bags of garbage and hedge-clippings, and Roco showed Knight where the site's dumpsters were, leaving Wendy momentarily behind.

"Your teacher seems nice," Knight said, smile in place, as they headed for the dumpsters.  Roco only gave his shrug.  "Does she pick you up every day?"

"Yeah."

"That's nice!" Knight beamed.  "I wish Nikko could pick me up, but he works all day.  He can drop me off in the morning, though."

Roco didn't respond.  Knight was starting to understand that that was something to expect.

Back at the shed, Wendy waited patiently, and Knight gave her a smile.  "Did Roco teach you everything about park maintenance?" she asked, friendly.

"Yes!  He was a good teacher."

"I'm glad."

Roco stepped out of the shed then, closing and locking the doors behind him before clipping the ring of keys onto his belt.  He seemed so professional, for a wolf.  Then he stepped over to Knight and smacked him in the chest with an envelope, prompting Knight to take it.  "Same time tomorrow," was all he said before turning and walking off with Wendy by his side.

Knight watched them go, noting how Roco's usual long strides were half-length, matching Wendy's pace.  Maybe they did get along after all.  Then his attention turned to the envelope.  Peeking inside, he saw several crisp bills.  His first payment.

With an enduring smile, Knight slipped the envelope into his pocket, clutched his lunchbox in his hand, and hurried home.

 

 

 

Each day on the job was much the same.  Some days held different tasks – hedges didn't need to be trimmed every day, after all – and some days they found the parks more trashed than others.  Sometimes people took their dogs out for evening walks and didn't clean up after them, so Knight had to pick up animal droppings.  It made him blush at first, wondering if anyone ever had to clean up after him.  Sometimes mischievous kids broke into the park at night, leaving behind huge messes of beer cans and alcohol bottles.  Knight thought it was very rude of them to litter like that.

Roco remained quiet and gruff, but he was never outwardly aggressive.  It seemed more like he simply didn't have much to say.  Knight continued to try talking to him, and though getting a response was like a small miracle, Knight came to see that Roco wasn't exactly annoyed with the chatter.

Each day, Nikko dropped Knight off at the first site, giving him a farewell wave before heading to his own workplace.  Each day, Wendy picked Roco up, always there waiting when they finished at the last site.  Knight liked chatting with Wendy while they waited for Roco to sign the checklists and lock up.  She was nice, and seemed interested in Knight's life.  She asked him about himself, about his studies, his life.  She asked him about Nikko, and listened attentively when Knight spoke about him.  And when she commented that Knight "must like him a lot," Knight couldn't agree more.

"What are you getting him for Christmas?" Wendy asked one day, and it made Knight pause.

"I...  I don't know."  Unease came over him suddenly.  He really hadn't thought about it.

"Well, what does he like?"

"He likes..."  What did Nikko like?  "He likes animals and nature.  He likes coffee and sitting at cafés for a long time.  He likes reading and watching TV.  And..."  Knight's face felt warm.  "He likes me, I think..."

Wendy's smile was sweet, some emotion drawing her fine brows together and up.  "I'm positive he likes you."

"But you've never met him."  He thought they should, though.  They would probably get along, and then Nikko could have more friends.

"Call it woman's intuition," Wendy replied, and then she chuckled.  Knight didn't know what that meant, but he didn't say so.  "How about..."   Then Wendy put a hand to her chin, looking thoughtful.  "How about taking him on a trip?  Somewhere quaint, with nice scenery."

Knight's tail curled against his leg.  "I'd like that!  I've never been on a trip before.  Where's a good place?"

"How about Vino Mountians?  You can rent a cabin and there are some great hiking trails.  It might be nice to get away from the city for a while."

"I think that would make Nikko happy."  Knight beamed.  He didn't know where Vino Mountians were, but he would research.  A few days relaxing outside the city would be so good for Nikko, probably.  "Thank you!"

Wendy smiled back.  "My pleasure."

It was then that Roco's tall form appeared to loom over them, snipping "Cart.  Trash," at Knight before turning on Wendy.  "Quit distracting him."

Knight was quick to move, yelping "Sorry!" and grabbing the cart to push it into the shed and unload it.

He caught Wendy's voice, though, saying "I wasn't distracting him.  We were just talking."

"No time to talk," Roco huffed back.  "The sooner we finish up here, the sooner we can go home."

"You should be nicer to him.  Do you ever talk to him?"

"Don't need to talk.  Need to work."

Knight's hands slowed where they had been tying off the garbage bag.  He hadn't meant to cause a fight.  If that's what it was, but there was a playful lilt in Wendy's voice when she said "You're jealous, aren't you?"

"Am not."

Knight stepped out of the shed then, unsure whether it was a good idea to interrupt them or not, but acknowledging that Roco's words were true.  They could leave as soon as he took the trash to the dumpster, a task that had been Knight's duty from his second day on.  He lifted the bag a bit as golden and green eyes both turned to him to indicate where he was going, and simply said "I'll be right back."

He hurried to the dumpster; there was only a single full bag that day, so moving was easy, tossing it into the huge bin was child's play, and he managed to not spill anything for once.  Then he jogged back to the shed, hoping everything between teacher and student would be okay.  Then they could go home, relax; then Knight could start looking up information on Vino Mountains.

Wendy was gone when Knight made it back, and he worried that maybe she had left and wouldn't come back.  He would miss seeing her every day.  Roco wasn't around either, but the shed door was still open, so he couldn't have left.  He wouldn't have left without locking up properly.

He peeked his head in the doorway, looking for the large wolf.  Roco was in there; Wendy was too.  They had their mouths pressed together in that gesture humans did when they cared about each other.  One of Roco's hands was on Wendy's lower back, the other holding her wrist; both of their eyes were closed.  They definitely weren't fighting, and it made Knight smile to see they were getting along.

But then Roco's back tensed.  He pulled away from Wendy suddenly, turning fierce golden eyes toward Knight.  Knight took a step back, sensing the aggression in Roco, but then Roco launched forward, and there was nothing Knight could do.  Roco knocked Knight to the ground, climbing over him to pin his wrists down, and leaned over to snarl in his face, long teeth bared.

"Roco!" Wendy called out.  "Roco, don't hurt him!"

Knight didn't know what he had done to make Roco so angry, but it must have been bad.  He turned his head, averting his eyes and baring his throat, submissive.  Roco was bigger and stronger, but even if he weren't, Knight wouldn't have tried to fight him.  He respected Roco too much.

"Don't tell _anyone_ ," Roco growled, breath scalding.

"T-Tell-  _Yiff_.  Tell anyone what?"

"What you just saw."  Roco leaned closer, voice dropping to a hiss.  "If you tell anyone, I'll kill you."

Wendy pulled at Roco's coat, prompting him to release Knight and stand up.  "It'll be okay," she said, reaching down to squeeze Roco's hand, and for a moment, Knight clearly saw Nikko in her.

With a final curl of his lip, Roco turned and headed back into the shed.

"Are you alright?" Wendy asked as she knelt by Knight's side.  "I'm sorry."

"I'm okay," Knight answered as he sat up.  "I think I messed up."  Now if only he could figure out how so he didn't do it again.

"No, it's not you.  Roco is just... scared."

"Scared?"

"Yes.  If anyone finds out about us, we'll be in big trouble.  So please, _please_ don't tell anyone you saw us, okay?"

Knight didn't understand.  Find out what?  That they were teacher and student?  Or was it that Roco had let Wendy go into the shed?  It was supposed to be for staff only, but it wasn't like Wendy would break or steal anything.  She hadn't even made a mess.  "I...  I don't understand," Knight whispered.  "Don't tell anyone what?"

Wendy just stared for a moment, and then something dawned in her soft, green gaze.  "Knight, do you know what kissing is?"

"Yes, I saw it on TV.  It's what people do when they like each other, right?"

"That's right," Wendy replied with a smile.  "Sometimes Roco and I kiss, but he's very shy about it, so we keep it a secret.  Does that make sense?"

"I think so."  Like how Nikko didn't want Knight to mention that he had worn a dress for Halloween.  "He'll be embarrassed?"

"Yeah, exactly.  He acts like a tough guy, but he would be really embarrassed if anyone knew he was actually nice.  So it's a secret.  Okay?"

"Okay!  I won't tell anyone."  Knight's tail curled, trapped as it was in the confines of his pant leg.  He liked being in on Wendy and Roco's secret.

Wendy's smile was bright; her eyes held relief.  "Thank you."  Then she stood up, tugging at the hem of her black coat.  "I'll talk to Roco and tell him to be nice to you."

"Okay."  Knight smiled back, and then watched Wendy walk into the shed.  He wasn't sure what to do once alone – all of his tasks were done, but he hadn't gotten paid yet, so he didn't want to leave.  But he felt odd just standing there by himself, like he was in the way even if there were no people around to be in the way of.  At last, he finally understood the word 'awkward', and he was just about to leave anyway and hope Roco paid him the following day when the others stepped out of the shed, the large wolf closing and locking the doors behind him.

Knight tensed, his head drooping as he was approached, but then Roco held the usual yellow envelope out to him, and Knight straightened.  All Roco said was "Tomorrow," but it made Knight happy.

"Yes!"

Then Roco walked away, going down the familiar path with Wendy by his side.

"I-!"  Knight heard his own voice before he even realized he was about to speak, but when the retreating couple stopped and looked back at him, Knight continued.  "I have a secret too!"  They could trust him, because he knew what it was like to have to keep something inside.

Wendy smiled and nodded, Roco's expression remained the same, and then they turned and continued on their way.

Knight turned to his own path home and began to run.

For some reason, he couldn't wait to see Nikko.


	13. Happy Holiday

 

 

 

It started on Christmas Eve.

Well, no.  It started before then.  It started the morning Knight gave him a blow job without realizing what he was doing.  Or perhaps it started the day Knight saved him from getting his face beaten in by a bully, planting the seeds of a great affection that grew to so much more.  Perhaps it started the moment Nikko first laid eyes on the lonely fox, who didn't even have a name at the time.

There were so many things that filled up the basin of Nikko's love and lust for Knight, and he tried his damnedest to hold back the inevitable flood.  It was on Christmas Even when the first real cracks in his defense began to appear.

He had spent many Christmases alone.  It didn't really bother him, or so he told himself.  He wasn't religious, and only ever celebrated it as a general winter holiday, full of familial cheer.  But his cheeriness towards his family began to dry up as he grew older, no longer able to wave off their 'only-just-teasing' insults, their attempts to thwart his education, their lectures about how he wasn't bowing low enough to his siblings' children, how he should be having children of his own instead of pursuing any dreams of acquiring a college degree.  So he moved out immediately after graduation, spent a few family Christmases with Skype, where he was lectured more despite being an independent adult who made his own way in life, a life that he was proud of but they never seemed to care at all about, and then he gave up.  Christmas wasn't so special anyway.

But that year, his first year with Knight, Christmas somehow felt magical all over again.

He'd had no idea what to get Knight for a gift.  The fox didn't really have any particular interests, and any games he ever wanted Nikko had already bought for him.  But Knight was eager to learn, so Nikko bought him a giant book that catalogued every living thing in the world, and Knight was active, so Nikko bought him a starter sports equipment set, which included a baseball and glove, two badminton rackets and a pair of birdies, a Frisbee, and a generic kickball.

And, on an impulse or a whim or a manic bit of crazy, he also bought Knight a silver necklace, not going so far as to put a collar on him, but selfishly wanting to see some sort of claim lying at Knight's throat.  The chain held a small, sword-shaped charm, perfect for his gallant Knight.

They exchanged gifts on Christmas Eve, just like Nikko used to do with his family.  It was appropriate, because Knight _was_ his family now.  So they had a nice dinner with ham and mashed potatoes and all the fixings, the traditional holiday reborn.  He let Knight try some wine, but after one sip the fox declared he didn't like it.  It was just as well; Nikko didn't like wine either, and wouldn't have bothered if his school's principal hadn't given all the teachers a bottle the last day before winter vacation.  They switched to coffee instead, which went so much better with the apple pie Nikko had made for dessert.

Almost immediately after the last bite was swallowed, Knight began to bounce.  "Presents?  Presents?"

"Okay," Nikko said, not bothering to hide or tone down his smile at all.  "Presents."

They had set up a Christmas tree in the living room, on the other side of the sliding glass door from Knight's sandbox that he hardly touched anymore, now that his issues with separation anxiety had been resolved.  The first night of Nikko's winter vacation had been spent decorating the tree together, and it was one of the most fun evenings he had ever had in his life.  Knight had laughed the entire time as he ran back and forth between the tree and where Nikko sat on the couch, holding out one brand-new ornament after another.  And when he saw that Knight had put  all of the ornaments in the same spot on the tree, Nikko himself started cracking up, before finally getting up to scatter them in elegant randomness.

By Christmas Eve, a small smattering of gifts had appeared beneath the lit-up tree.

"Do you want yours first?" Nikko asked, a little surprised when Knight shook his head, but not much.

"I want Nikko to open his present first."

Nikko chuckled, charmed.  He was exceedingly curious about what Knight had worked so hard to get for him, so he didn't put up an argument about it.  "Okay," he replied as he perched himself on the couch.

Knight retrieved the small box and envelope that had Nikko's name on them, but when he returned, there was a touch of nervousness wavering in his yellow eyes.  "I...  I hope you like them...  At least a little bit," he said, setting the items on the table.

"I'm sure they'll be great."  Nikko smiled as he reached for the envelope, assuming it was a card, but Knight stopped him.

"The box first."

"Okay."  Nikko chuckled again, and grabbed the silver box.  The lid came off easily enough, and he peered inside to see a little, stuffed fox.  He laughed as he pulled the plushie free, setting the box aside.  It was orange with brown-tipped ears and tail, and yellow eyes.  "Cute!  It looks just like you."

"I'm not orange!"

Nikko laughed, so amused.  "Close enough."  Then he hugged the toy to his cheek.  "I love it.  Thank you."

Knight beamed.  "I'm so happy!"  Then he grabbed the envelope, holding it up to Nikko.  "Now this one."

Slipping his finger under the flap, Nikko carefully tore open the sealed envelope, curiosity beyond piqued.  Inside he found several sheets of paper, some simply presenting information like a brochure, looking like they had been printed directly from the internet, others looking like printed emails.  Nikko tossed a confused glance at Knight, who looked nervous, gripping his tail in his hands.

Nikko took a moment to actually read the emails, which seemed to be from an account called Vinoinfo, sent to one 'foxknight at yahoo dot com'.  Seemed Knight had gone ahead and created an email account on his own, somehow.  The letters themselves were an inquiry from Knight about renting a cabin, some back and forth with questions and answers, and finally, a confirmation letter.

Knight had rented a cabin in the mountains for two nights in April.

Looking up, Nikko met Knight's concerned gaze.  "Knight, this..."

"If you don't want to go, it's okay."  Knight's hands wrung nervously at his tail.  "There's still time to cancel the reservation."

"Knight..."  Then Nikko's lips curved up.  "I'd _love_ to go."

"Really?"  Knight's ears began to perk up.

"Yeah.  I haven't been on a trip anywhere in a while, and it seems like forever since I've been hiking."  He used to go hiking quite often; he couldn't remember when or why he stopped – just kind of fell out of it – but the thought that he _should_ go again was always sitting patiently in the back of his mind.  "This is _such_ a good idea."  He smiled bright.  "Thank you so much."

The end of Knight's tail curled to and fro; surely the whole thing would be thrashing outright if he weren't still holding it.  "Ginger helped me do it.  She said you could use some fresh air."

"That's probably true," Nikko chuckled.

"And she said winter is too cold to go to the mountains.  I checked your schedule and you have time off of work around Easter, so-!  So I thought it would be a good time...  I hope it's okay..."

Nikko's smile persisted.  "It'll still be a bit cold in April, but it should be fine if we wear warm clothes."  His heart raced, even as he spoke casually.  They would be alone in the woods for three days, two nights.   It actually sounded romantic, which was the first thing to make his smile dip.

Well, he would have to be careful, and treat the time alone as he treated all of their times alone.  Even in a different place, their status as teacher and student wouldn't change – their relationship would be the same as always.

"I'm excited," Nikko admitted.  "It'll be our first trip together."

"Yes!"

Nikko gave another smile, a chuckle, and then asked "Would you like your gifts now?"

"Yes, yes!"  Knight nodded his head enthusiastically, letting go of his tail to grip his pants at the knees.

"Alright."  Nikko fetched the items from under the tree, setting them on the coffee table and handing Knight the lumpier package first.  "They're not much, but..."

Knight took the present, tearing open the paper to reveal the sports set.  His tail wagged in excitement as he looked everything over, and he laughed.  "It's fun!  Nikko, we can play!"

"When it's warmer out, we will."

Shining eyes turned to him, and it made Nikko's heart flutter.  "I can't wait," Knight said, some kind of emotion making his voice soft.

Nikko didn't think it was worth all that, but he acknowledged that Knight was excited to be celebrating his first Christmas.  He could probably give Knight a paper bag and the fox would be happy.  That happiness was contagious, for sure.  Nikko felt his heart and body warm as he handed over the next gift.

That one was opened as quickly as the first, no attempt to be delicate with the paper, childlike excitement moving Knight's fingers.  His eyes widened when he saw the huge book.  "Nikko, this is-!"  He began flipping through the pages, eyes sparkling more and more at every animal he saw.  "If I read this, I'll know everything!"

"Well, maybe not everything," Nikko said with a laugh.  "But you'll know an awful lot."

"Look!"  Knight pointed at a page.  In a book of every living thing, he had managed to find the foxes.  "It's me!" he beamed as his finger touched the picture of a fennec.

"It is," Nikko smiled.  And though he had always adored fennecs, he couldn't help but think Knight was even cuter.  The most beautiful, the sweetest, and Nikko had no idea what he had done to be gifted with Knight, but he thanked the stars this particular fennec had come to him.

"Nikko, are you okay!?"  Knight suddenly looked anxious, holiday cheer replaced with concern.  "You look like you're going to cry!"

"It's okay," Nikko answered, snapping out of his moment and looking up to meet Knight's eyes.  He smiled.  "I was just thinking."

"Thinking?  What were you thinking about?"

"About you."

"Me?"

Nikko took up the last gift, a tiny, bright red bag.  "One more," he said as he handed it over, his heart beginning to flutter nervously for no reason.

Knight's smile came back, small, as he took the bag and reached in.  His fine brows furrowed in confusion at the little box that came out, small and delicate in Knight's hand, much like Nikko himself was.  When he opened the box, his jaw dropped, just a little, and he whispered "Nikko..."

"I know you've never shown an interest in jewelry," Nikko suddenly felt the need to explain.  "But it reminded me of you."

"It's beautiful!"  Knight's tail wagged heavily, thumping against the sofa.  "Can I put it on?"

"Of course.  It's yours."

Knight carefully removed the necklace, setting the box aside to immediately try to fit the chain over his head.  It didn't fit, of course; wouldn't have even if his black horns didn't get in the way.  With a little " _Yiff_?" of confusion, Knight brought the chain down to analyze it.

"You have to use the clasp," Nikko said with a little smile as he moved closer.  He took the necklace from Knight's hands, finding the silver clasp and showing Knight how to undo it.  Then, since he was holding it anyway, he went ahead and leaned forward, sliding the chain around Knight's neck and fastening it in back.  When he sat back, he adjusted the charm to set it just in the center of Knight's collarbones.  "It looks good on you."  It really... really did.

"It reminds me of Nikko."  Knight reached up to touch the little sword.  "Every time I feel it, I'll think of Nikko."

Nikko's face grew warm.  He couldn't find a single thing to say – never got a chance, because all of a sudden Knight's lips were pressed against his, stealing away his voice, his breath, his soul.  His eyes went wide, but his body refused to budge, unable to move away, like he should, unable to return the kiss, like he wanted to.

He was freed when Knight pulled away, a small smile curling the fox's lips.  With the connection broken, Nikko was able to lift a hand, pushing gently at Knight's chest.  "Knight, you shouldn't do that if you don't know what it means."

"I know what it means!"  Knight's voice rose; determination shone in his yellow eyes.  "I see it on TV all the time!  It means you like someone, and I like Nikko, so..."

"Okay..."  It wasn't a surprise.  They had watched plenty of movies that ended with the hero and heroine wrapped in a dramatic embrace.  "So then you know we...  We can't do that.  The rules-"

"It's not sexual!" Knight insisted.  "Mothers and fathers do it with their children!  And-  And the pet food commercials show people touching lips to their animals!  So!  So it's not... against the rules..."

While Knight wasn't exactly wrong – kissing wasn't strictly sexual – it was hard to explain that there were so many different kinds of love, and a different kiss for each of them.  Since Knight couldn't feel romantic love, it was difficult to come up with an explanation why sometimes it was inappropriate and sometimes it wasn't.  Especially since the 'like' that each of them felt for the other was different.  While for Knight a kiss simply meant affection, for Nikko it would mean so much more, and allowing it just to make Knight happy would be a self-torture Nikko wasn't sure he could take.

"It's true that parents kiss their children..." Nikko started slowly.  "And it's true that people kiss their pets.  But, Knight...  I'm not your parent and you're not my pet.  It would be different for us."

Knight's ears drooped and his lip quivered.  On this happy, holy evening, Knight was on the verge of tears.  "But...  I really like Nikko..."

Nikko reached up to scratch behind Knight's ear.  "I really like you too."  That was the problem.

"Then kiss with me."

A major crack appeared in the flimsy dam of Nikko's restraint.  The timbre of Knight's voice, the sniffles surrounding his words, the crease to his brow and tears in his eyes that betrayed his deep want – they chiseled a hole in the wall that Nikko was sure could never be fixed.

Well...  A little bit of self-torture might not be so bad.

His hand moved, sliding from behind Knight's ear to pull at a black horn, tilting his head.  Surprise colored Knight's expression, but Nikko didn't pause, didn't hesitate, didn't give himself a chance to get back into his right mind.  He leaned forward, giving Knight the kiss he so desired.

It was sweet and warm and everything Nikko could have ever wanted in a kiss.  Knight pushed into him further, and Nikko pushed back, feeling the connection between them simmer.  They parted for a brief moment, taking in a breath, and then were back together again.  Now that Nikko had given in to this, he knew there would be no going back.  He could live off of Knight's lips.

They separated again, and Knight's eyes shone with so much joy, they lit up the dim room.  The twinkling Christmas tree couldn’t compare to the light in those eyes.  And with a brilliant smile, Knight cheered out a "Nikko!" and pounced, knocking Nikko back so that he was lying against the couch cushions.  Knight landed on top of him, somehow wiggling himself between Nikko's legs as he planted another kiss, then another, on Nikko's lips.

Nikko was helpless against the onslaught, helpless to resist as his mind went fuzzy, accepting kiss after kiss.  Their bodies relaxed together, kisses turning lazy in their reclined position.  They sucked and nibbled on each other's lips, and Nikko totally forgot not to let it go too far, but it never did anyway.  Knight never tried to kiss deeper, probably didn't know how, and Nikko felt perfectly content with the sweet and mostly chaste kisses.

It was Knight who pulled away, jumping back with an abruptness that left Nikko reeling.  It took a moment to figure out why he was so cold all of a sudden, and once he came back down to the real world, Nikko looked to see Knight sitting back on his knees, face pink and turned away, hands pressed to his groin.

"Knight?" Nikko questioned as he sat up.  He wouldn't admit that he missed Knight's lips already.

"My penis got hard."

Nikko would have laughed if Knight hadn't looked so uncomfortable.   Instead, he gently replied "That's why kissing is dangerous for us.  We shouldn't..."  Knight's head drooped, and Nikko smiled.  "Well, a little bit is okay.  Just a little.  Alright?"

Knight nodded once, whispering "Okay."

"Do you want me to give you some privacy?"

Brow quirking, Knight finally looked back at Nikko.  "Why?"

Right.  Knight wouldn't know what masturbation was, and Nikko was _not_ about to teach him.  "Never mind."  He laughed, nervous.  "How about we clean up?"

"Okay."  Knight nodded, agreeable as ever.  He stood up from the couch, erection obvious and making Nikko's eyes dart pointedly away, and together they began gathering up the shreds of wrapping paper.  Quietly, Christmas Eve was brought to a close.

 

 

 

A new step was added to their nightly routine.

They still took turns using the bathroom, the room too small for more than one person to brush their teeth at a time.  Knight still ran the garbage down to the incinerator and cleared the dishes from the strainer while Nikko got himself ready for bed; Nikko still made sure the door was locked and both of their workloads were prepared for the following day while Knight did the same.  But after Christmas Eve, something changed.

Instead of a wave goodnight before parting to their separate rooms, they now met in the space in between.  Knight would bend down and Nikko would tilt his head back; they would share a kiss in that space, a wish for sweet dreams, then climb into beds that seemed warmer than before.

And when Knight inevitably crept into Nikko's room a short time later, Nikko would feel more kisses pitter-patter along his face or ear or the back of his head.  Soft lips would ease him into gentle dreams of sharp ears and fluffy tails.

It was the sweetest torture.


	14. Socializing, part one

 

 

It was as if Knight had gone through puberty or was in heat or something.  Whereas before the early-morning blowjob incident he had shown very little interest in sex and never experienced erections, afterwards he was _on_ far more frequently, as if the single hit had already left him addicted, and he needed more.  It wasn't all the time – he didn't spend his nights howling in need – but several times a week at least he looked to Nikko with pleading eyes and a tent in his pants, whimpering with discomfort.  It had Nikko feeling helpless because there was nothing he could do for Knight, and more often than not it left him with his own bit of discomfort.

Sometimes, Knight's instincts took over, and he would take liberties he wouldn't normally dare to take.  It was almost like a trance, and he was far less likely to listen to 'no'.  It had happened before, the night of the Halloween party.  Knight hadn't listened when Nikko gasped for him to stop, and he had no idea how far it would have gone if they hadn't been interrupted.

Nikko supposed instincts taking over was also the case at their first picnic, when Gus wouldn't take no for an answer, going so far as to snap and growl when he didn't get his way.  At that time, it was Buck's firm and strict hand that had brought Gus to his senses.  In that same vein, Nikko had to be strict to keep Knight on the proper path when his hands began to wander.

But it was so, _so_ hard when Nikko's own body was screaming to give in.

He was making a breakfast of French toast one chilly Saturday morning when he felt Knight's arms slip over his waist, pulling their hips tightly together.  Nikko could feel the hard erection hanging at Knight's crotch, which Knight ground against Nikko's backside.  It made Nikko's cock jump, even as he tried to pull away with a reprimanding "Knight, no!"  But his arousal only seemed to spur Knight on further.

Knight gave a ' _yiff_ ' as he pressed his nose into Nikko's hair, grinding into Nikko harder, seeking gratification without understanding it.  Though Nikko struggled to get away, Knight was bigger, stronger, and held him in place, growling in the back of his throat.

As a last resort, Nikko raised the frying pan he had been holding, and then slammed it back down on the stove.  The loud sound startled Knight, causing him to jump back, and Nikko quickly turned around to face him.

Knight's eyes went wide as he realized what he had been doing.  "Nikko...  I..."  Inevitably, he began to cry.  "I'm sorry!  I-!"

"It's okay," Nikko said, putting his hands out, placating.  "It's over now."

"But I..."

"It's part of why you're here.  It's something we need to work on, okay?  Just another thing for you to study and learn.  Alright?"

Knight nodded, sniffled.  "I don't...  I don't want to hurt Nikko..."

Nikko smiled, even knowing how capable Knight could actually be of that very thing.  If Knight really went out of himself, there wouldn't be anything Nikko could do to stop him.  They had to do something to relieve Knight's... tension, before things got out of hand.

Even though Nikko really, _really_ didn't want to – god, it was so embarrassing – he steeled himself, took a breath, and then asked "Have you tried... touching it?"

Knight's head tilted, confused.  "Hm?"

"When you get hard, have you tried touching your... your penis?"

"No...  Why?"

Nikko's face was on fire.  "If you touch it and rub it, it'll feel really good, and if you orgasm, the discomfort will go away."

"Is that what Nikko does?"

"Err...  Yes...  Sometimes..."  Like, daily.  "But it's private, so you should try it in your room."

Knight stood up straighter.  "Okay.  If Nikko does it, then I'll try."  Then he skipped forward to plant a kiss on Nikko's lips before disappearing from the kitchen and down the hall.

Nikko breathed a sigh of relief.  Hopefully Knight figured it out, because jerking off was not something he could really help out with.  But the whole incident had left him so painfully hard – picturing Knight stroking himself off, head thrown back, pleasure and ecstasy written all over his lovely features – that Nikko was desperately in need of a rub-out himself.

He turned around and found himself faced with a black piece of French toast.

With a sigh ghosting out from between his lips, Nikko flicked the stove off.  It probably wasn't safe for him to be around fire right then anyway.  Snatching the pan off the stove, he stepped over to the garbage can and dumped the ruined toast, though it took some rough scraping with the spatula to get it unfused from the pan.  They could have cereal instead.

The pan was deposited in the sink, and then he braced himself against the counter, holding himself up with one hand while the other slid along the front of his pants.  He wondered if Knight was whimpering in pleasure.  He wondered if Knight moaned, as Nikko himself did when he cupped himself, stroking a thumb along his hardened length.  Or did Knight make his little _yiff_ sounds when getting off?

He pressed harder at his erection, eyes fluttering closed.  He really shouldn't be doing it right there; he had told Knight it was private.  He should slip into his room, or the bathroom.  Before he had a chance to move, however, and before he had a chance to whip his dick out right there, a weight settled on his shoulder; a pointy chin dug into his flesh.  "Nikko smells good."

"Knight!"  Nikko's wayward hand flew to the counter, both from being startled and to plead innocent.

"I want to taste Nikko."

Surely his grip would have cracked the countertop if he weren't so weak; his cock would have hardened to stone if it weren't already at its limit.  "Pour yourself some cereal," Nikko said as he pushed back from the counter, moving away from Knight.  "I need to use the bathroom."

"Are you going to touch yourself?"

" _No_.  I just... need to go.  Excuse me."

 

 

 

Knight was still sitting at the small dining room table, empty cereal bowl in front of him, when Nikko sat with his own bowl of Shredded Wheat.  A pout was on Knight's lips as his yellow eyes tracked each of Nikko's movements, a predator eyeing its prey.  "Your sweet scent went away."

"Never mind that.  Are you still... uncomfortable?"  At Knight's nod, Nikko asked "What happened?"

A shrug, and Knight's eyes turned away.  "I tried touching it like you said, but..."

"But?"

"I got bored."

Nikko snorted, but it wasn't like that was completely unheard of.  He wondered if Knight was capable of fantasizing.  "You need to try it longer."

"No!  It's stupid!  I want Nikko!"

He startled when Knight snapped, somewhat shocked at the sudden aggression.  He understood Knight was frustrated, but Nikko never realized just how _grumpy_ the fox would get from unresolved tension.  It brought to mind Ginger's words from last summer, that Penny also got grumpy if she went a while without getting laid.

Then an idea slowly began to materialize in Nikko's mind, a potential solution.  Maybe not a good solution – it definitely made Nikko sick, filled to capacity with jealousy until he could vomit – but if it worked out it could certainly make Knight feel better and happier.  In the very least, it might be worth a try.

"Knight...  Do you know what socializing is?"

Knight looked at him for a moment, fine brows drawn somewhere between a scowl and a pout, and then he looked away.  "No."

"It's... a slang term among the teachers.  It's what they call sexual intercourse between students."

Knight's eyes slowly moved back to Nikko's gaze, expression lifting from irritated to curious.  "Between... students?"

"Yes."  He didn't want to think about it; he didn't want to picture Knight laying with anyone else, even just for sex.  He had to shut off any images lurking in front of his mind's eye before he could speak again.  "You and I can't do anything... like that together, but it's okay for you to do it with another student.  It'll feel good, and afterwards you won't be so uncomfortable.  Do you want to try?"

For a long time, Knight was silent.  His gaze fell to his lap, seeming to search for answers in the hands folded there.  When his mouth finally opened to speak, his voice was quiet.  "With who?"

"Well..."  Nikko took a breath.  "How about Tina?  She's really cute and she seemed to like you."  His heart fell to pieces even as he spoke, but he managed sound normal.

Knight gave a slow nod.  "Tina is nice."

Nikko returned the nod.  "All right, we'll ask her if she wants to.  It'll be fun."  He wanted to cry.  "I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

Knight only turned his yellow gaze away.

 

 

 

It was likely one of the most embarrassing phone calls Nikko had ever engaged in, yet Kent's polite and kind demeanor eased his nerves at least a little, which helped.  He had sent a text to Ginger asking if she could give Kent his number and ask him to contact him, and mere minutes later the call had come.  Not having to be the one to make the phone call helped as well.

After standard greetings, Kent got right into it, saying "So, Ginger said you wanted to talk to me.  What's up?"

"It's...  Well, it's kind of embarrassing," Nikko started honestly.  "But Knight has been... in a rather amorous mood more often than not lately."

A polite chuckle came over the line.  "I see."

"He'd like to try... socializing... and..."

"And you want to know if Tina is interested?"

"Yeah."

"We would have to ask her first, of course."

"Of course," Nikko agreed.

"But..."  And then there was a clear smile in Kent's voice.  "She really likes Knight, so I don't think it will be a problem."

Nikko's heart sank – he hadn't even realized he was hoping Kent would say no.  But he pushed a polite smile into his voice and said "Thanks."

"One moment, please.  I'll go talk to her."

As the line went silent, Nikko looked across the sofa to Knight and smiled.  Knight's erection had faded since that morning, probably due to nerves at the prospect of socializing.  He had been left quiet and on-edge, tail stiff; Nikko wondered if he would even go through with it.

Kent came back on the line, announcing that Tina was all for the idea, and the pain that had been stabbing at Nikko's heart twisted.  They arranged for it to be at Kent's house the following afternoon, and then Kent said "Tina doesn't have much experience, though."

"Knight doesn't have any."

"She's quite nervous."

"So is he."

They found themselves laughing together, as if they were parents whose children were going to prom together.  Nikko didn't know if the students ever hooked up as couples, but he imagined if Knight and Tina did, he would be glad it was Kent who was her teacher.  He could stand being around Kent.  If it were someone like Victoria or Marie, he might forbid the relationship.

Goodbyes said, Nikko set his phone down to face Knight again.  "We'll go see Tina tomorrow.  She's excited to... to see you again."

Knight nodded minutely.

"You'll have a good time."  He tried another smile, but didn't get a response.

Knight didn't even bother trying to sleep in his own room that night.  He followed Nikko to bed straight away, and clung to him extra tightly all night long.  Nikko didn't find himself minding at all.

 

 

 

It really did feel like getting ready for prom, or a date in the very least.  On Sunday morning Knight took a long shower, and Nikko recommended that he use conditioner on his tail.  Afterwards, Nikko helped him bush his hair and tail, and picked out a nice outfit for him.  He was polished until he shone, handsome as ever.  If only he would smile.

They held hands as they walked to Kent's place, the nervousness streaming through Knight's palm prompting Nikko to hold tighter, instead of pulling away when he saw people watching them.  And when Nikko spotted the address on the nice, brown house they needed, he pointed it out.  "There it is."

Knight stopped moving.

Nikko stopped with him, looking up to question "Knight?"

"I don't know what to do," Knight answered quietly.  "I mean...  I do, I read how to in my books, but what if I mess up?"

Nikko patted his arm, trying to soothe.  "It's normal to be nervous.  Just... follow your instincts.  Your body will know what to do."  Knight didn't reply, only stood there, trembling.  Nikko gave his arm a squeeze to make sure he had his attention.  "Knight, if you don't want to do this, it's okay.  Or if you want to wait until another day or another week, that's okay too.  Tina will understand."

"No, I...  I want to try..."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Nikko sighed, then gave a small tug on Knight's arm.  "All right, then.  Let's go."

The front door opened as they approached, and Nikko got the impression Kent had watched their whole exchange.  There was a knowing look in his eyes as he let them in to an empty living room with a warm greeting.

After an exchange of thank you and assurance that they found the place with no problems, Nikko finally dredged up the nerve to ask "So...  Where's Tina?"

Kent chuckled, and then began looking around the room.  "Well, if I know her as I think I do, I'd say she's..."  His smile brightened.  "Over there."

Nikko followed his gaze.  It was hard to see, tan hair blending like camouflage against the cream wallpaper, but he managed to spot one large fennec ear and a single tan eye peeking out from behind an antique-looking chest.  Nikko almost wondered how she had gotten behind there, but she was tiny, after all.

"She's rather nervous," Kent said before calling out more loudly.  "Tina, we have company.  Come and greet them."

She slipped out from behind the chest, eyes downcast as she moved towards them.  It was very different than the fun-loving girl who had easily taken Knight's hand to dance at the Halloween party, but then, this was a very different situation.  Her nerves were also so vastly different than the other animals, who seemed to have no qualms about getting down wherever.  Nikko got the impression, from that and other things, that Tina was further along in her studies and maturity than many of the others.

Knight had stepped behind Nikko in some kind of attempt to hide, which was ridiculous, considering he stood a head and shoulders taller than Nikko.  But when Tina gave a small "Hello," Knight returned it.

"Thank you for agreeing to this," Nikko said, showing a smile that he hoped was comforting.  "It's a big help."

She shook her head, her fluffy hair swishing around her face as she did so.  "No, I...  I've wanted to do this with Knight for a long time."

Nikko smiled even as a shock of pain and jealousy stabbed through his heart.  He told himself once again that this was for the best.  This was natural, especially with another fennec, like Tina.

"Why don't you show Knight your room?" Kent suggested, and Tina nodded.

Stepping beside Knight, Tina slowly reached for Knight's hand.  He must not have pulled away, because a second later she had led him out from behind Nikko.  "My room is pink," she said as she began pulling him towards a hallway.  "I'll show you."

Knight glanced back at Nikko once before the matching pair of tails disappeared around a corner.

"Would you like some tea?" Kent asked, then showed Nikko the way to a quaint kitchenette.  "Tina really has been quite smitten with your Knight," he continued as he flitted around, preparing a kettle and two cups of tea.  "She talks about him frequently and always asks if we could meet with you two.  Of course, if something blooms between them-"  He smiled and leaned in closer as he set the cups on the table.  "I wouldn't mind seeing you more often."

"L-Likewise," Nikko stammered in reply.  He honestly couldn't tell if Kent was hitting on him or not, but ultimately decided there was no way.  Last he heard, Kent was wooing Ginger.  "How long have you had her?"

"Hm...  It must be close to five years now.  My business partner introduced me to the program.  He and his wife were raising a wolf and made it seem like such a rewarding experience, so they took me down to the facility and the rest is history."

Nikko got stuck on the word 'were'.  It probably wasn't his place to ask, but any sort of distraction to keep him from thinking about what Knight was doing right then was more than welcome, so he pried.  "Does your partner still have his wolf?"

"No, Kent answered as he moved to grab the kettle that had begun to whistle.  "His wife got pregnant, and they didn't want to raise the baby with a wolf in the house."  Kent smiled as he began to pour the boiling water into each cup, but when he glanced up at Nikko's face, his brow lifted.  "What is that look for?"

Nikko hadn't realized he was giving a _look_ , though he knew exactly what it was for.  He hated couples who abandoned their pets as soon as a baby came into the equation.  They didn't deserve to take care of a goldfish, much less anything larger.  If he were in a really bad mood, he might wonder what they would do if something even shinier than a baby came along.  Would they abandon the kid too?  But it was even worse if it were one of the program's students, who weren't fully animal.  It wasn't like they could just leave a wolf-person on the side of the road and drive away.

Could they?

"No, it's just..."  Nikko shook his head.  "What happened to their wolf?"

"He was taken back to the facility and a new teacher was found for him in another district."  Kent sat and began stirring some sugar into his tea.  "He was nice, so it was unfortunate, but...  It wasn't my decision."

"I see."  It answered one of the many questions Nikko had always wondered about the students – what happened if they were returned?  It was nice to know they weren't just destroyed outright, though given how much money the company must sink into each student, it wasn't too surprising.  It did, however, make him wonder if there was ever a shortage of teachers.

It fell silent a moment.  Nikko just stared into his teacup for a long while, thinking about Knight and wondering – against his better judgment – what his fox was doing right then.  Jealousy gnawed a hole in his gut, but...  He could never imagine giving Knight up.  He didn't have to be straight and married to know that he could never just let Knight go like that.  He already spent nights making himself sick, worrying about the day Knight graduated and left him, and that wouldn't be for years yet.  He could never...  Never...

"Nikko?"

He looked up to see Kent watching him with mysterious green eyes.

"Sorry," Nikko said, picking up the teacup at last.  "I was just thinking."

"About?"

He opened his mouth, then closed it, looking for something to say besides how he wanted to spend the rest of his life with Knight.  He was saved, though, from having to say anything at all when Tina came into the kitchenette.  Her skirt was on sideways, which made Nikko's heart constrict even more painfully, but there was a small frown on her delicate face.  She went to Kent and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"What do you mean it didn't work?" Kent asked out loud.

Tina shrugged as she looked down for a moment.  Then her tan-colored eyes fluttered back up to Nikko.  "I'm sorry."

Nikko was quickly on his feet, and Kent automatically said "Her room is down that hall, on the right."

"Thanks," Nikko said, then followed the directions, finding a very pink room and a despondent Knight sitting on a rumpled bed.  Knight's chest was bare, his coat and shirt lying on the floor, and he was shivering, though the house was actually pretty warm.  Nikko's heart cried for him as he went and sat next to his broken fox.  "Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

"It didn't get hard."

"Oh," was the only thing that came out of Nikko's mouth.  He didn't want to give away the relief he felt; he didn't want to smile selfishly in the face of Knight's failure, especially when it had been Nikko's idea in the first place, and especially knowing it was going to put them right back at square one.

"We laid down together and she even took her clothes off for me.  And she smelled sweet, but...  It didn't do anything.  I don't understand..."

"It's okay."  Nikko leaned against Knight, pushing their shoulders together.  "It happens to guys all the time.  It's natural.  It was probably just because you were so nervous."

"Really?"

"Yeah."  Then Nikko stood and grabbed Knight's shirt up off the floor, handing it over to him.  "Let's check on Tina, and then we'll go home."

"Okay..."

Tina and Kent were both still in the kitchenette.  Tina had pushed a chair over so that she could sit right next to Kent, but she stood when Knight and Nikko entered, looking down demurely.  Knight moved to stand before her, also looking shy, but determined.

"I'm sorry," Knight said.  "My body isn't working right now, but...  But I do think you're very pretty!"

Tina smiled, even as she shook her head.  "I'm sorry I don't know how to be erotic.  But I hope we can try again someday."

"Y-Yeah..."  Knight nodded, but there was a hesitance in his movements.  He seemed reluctant to agree outright, but also cautious of Tina's feelings.  It was thoughtful – it was a very human thing.

"He's just too nervous," Nikko said, looking to Kent.  "You know how it goes."

Kent smiled knowingly.  "I see."

"We're really sorry for taking up your time."

"It's no problem.  We would like to hang out with you two more often anyway.  Right, Tina?"

"Yes."  Her eyes were still glued to Knight.  "We can hang out anytime."

There were more polite 'thank you's and apologies, and then they were on their way home.  Knight was subdued, probably confused, and Nikko's heart ached to do something for him, though he didn't know what.

"Do you... want to go shopping?  Or we could get some ice cream."

Knight just shook his head.

"Do you want to hold my hand?"

This time, Knight nodded, and Nikko joined their gloved hands.  Finally, a small smile came to Knight's face.

When they got home, Knight dug in his sandbox for the first time in a while.  He had so much on his mind, and all Nikko could do was assure him that what had happened was normal, that Tina wasn't mad at him and still wanted to be his friend, and that everything would be okay, somehow.  He left Knight to dig while he made dinner, and afterwards they cleaned up both the plates and the dirt together.

At night, in the darkness of Nikko's room, Knight's body began working again.  As he held Nikko from behind, spooning him, Knight kissed Nikko's ear, giving small ' _yiff_ 's as their bodies rubbed together.  Nikko felt the hardness of Knight's dick grow as it pressed right up against his ass, and when Knight buried his face into Nikko's neck and whimpered, Nikko's own erection grew.  He winced.

"Nikko..."  Knight began pressing against him harder.  "Nikko...  I want..."

Nikko squirmed, moving out of Knight's grip, away from Knight's rubbing until there was breathable space between them.  And despite – or perhaps _because_ of – his burning desire to pull Knight on top of him and spread himself open to Knight's need, he screwed his eyes shut and forced himself to ask "Knight, do you... want to try socializing again?"

Knight went still.  Darkness and silence spread, until he asked "With...  With Tina?"

"If... you want."  Nikko's chest hurt so much.  "Or...  Or with Penny?"

"Penny?"

"She has a lot of experience.  She'll know how to make you feel really good and...  And I think if you get too nervous, she'll know what to do."

Silence permeated the room, until a huff sounded from Knight.  "Fine.  I'll try."  Then there was a flurry of movement, rustling.  The bed shook, then went still again.

Unable to see in the darkness, Nikko reached out a hand.

He touched Knight's back.


	15. Socializing, part two

 

 

 

Penny was way more than willing to help Knight out with his little problem, and Ginger only laughed like she thought it was the funniest thing.  Of course, the laughter was all at Nikko's expense – he had been so uptight and prudish when they first met, only to end up having to ask if they could mate their students.  She didn't know the full story, though, and Nikko was not about to tell her it was all an attempt to keep him from satisfying Knight himself, so he just let her laugh.

They went on a Tuesday, Nikko still in his work suit when he knocked on Ginger's apartment door.  Penny answered it, wearing nothing but a short, white dress and clearly nothing underneath, given the way her nipples showed through the material.  Her eyes immediately went to Knight, and it struck Nikko, not for the first time, just how popular Knight was amongst the students.

The apartment smelled like coffee, and Ginger was waiting just inside the entryway to greet them.  "I've got dinner on if you'd like to eat first."

Nikko looked to Knight, who averted his gaze, giving a polite "No, thank you."

"He's nervous," Nikko added, turning back to Ginger.

Ginger smiled.  "Penny always eats after.  Socializing builds her appetite like crazy."

Penny laughed as she latched on to Knight's arm.  "It's a good workout!"  Then she turned batting eyelashes up at the fox.  "Ready?"

"Y-Yeah..."  Knight gave a stilted nod, discomfort radiating off of him in waves.

"Actually, if it's all right-"  Nikko looked from Ginger to Penny and back.  "I'd like to speak with Knight alone for a moment."  He smiled, hoping it looked sincere.  "To help calm him down."

"Yeah, sure thing," Ginger replied, then pointed a thumb down a hall.  "Penny's room is the first door on the right.  We'll wait out here until you're finished."

"But-"  Penny's tail wagged impatiently, a little pout wrinkling her nose.

Ginger placed a hand on Penny's head, leading her toward the kitchen.  "Pen, let the boys talk."  Then she tossed a wink to Nikko.

"Come on."  Nikko took Knight's hand and pulled him down the hallway, quickly finding Penny's room and going inside, shutting the door behind them.  Then he tilted his head toward the bed and instructed Knight to sit as he took his coat off.  "Are you hard?"

Knight shook his head, looking down again.

"I'm going to teach you a new kiss," Nikko said as he pulled off his suit jacket and loosened his tie.

"A new...?"

"It's a special kiss, a kiss for people who are in love.  It's not a kiss for parent and child, or owners and their pets.  It's a kiss for husbands and wives.  For lovers."

"People in love?"

"Yes."  And Nikko smiled.  "Do you want to learn it?"

"Yes!"  Knight's reply was enthusiastic.  His tail curled, momentarily forgetting his predicament.  Perfect.

"Okay."  Nikko smiled again, an attempt to put both of them at ease.  "I'm going to sit on your lap, okay?"

Knight spread his arms, inviting.  "Okay!"

And Nikko crawled up, straddling Knight's hips, planting his butt directly on Knight's crotch.  His arms went around Knight's neck, their faces went close.  It was romantic, kind of, ignoring the circumstances.  "Just follow my lead, okay?  Do what I do."

"Okay," Knight replied, much more subdued this time.

After a breath and a heartbeat, Nikko leaned in.  He kissed Knight softly, chaste at first, and Knight returned it.  And when Nikko licked at Knight's lips, Knight copied that too, giving Nikko a chance to slide their tongues along each other.  When he opened his mouth, Knight followed suit, allowing Nikko to go deeper, explore further.  Their tongues wrapped around each other, tasting each other, and only once did Nikko think about how he was doing this with an _animal_.

Except it wasn't just an animal; it was Knight – _his_ Knight – and it was becoming harder and harder to see Knight as anything other than human, plus a few extra traits.  Knight's arms had gone around Nikko's back, holding him close as they kissed, and his dick had started to harden.  Nikko could feel the lump of flesh grow against him, as his own grew, and he pressed down against it.  He needed Knight to be hard for Penny, as much as it killed him to even think that.

Knight's grip on his back became tighter and he thrust up against Nikko's clothed ass.  His mouth tore away, letting out a long whimper before he whined "Nikko..."

"Okay," Nikko said, using up every ounce of his willpower to pull away.  "Okay, I'll go get Penny."

" _Nikko_..."

Nikko slid out of Knight's grasp, off his lap.  He stumbled a bit, his own knees going weak, his head dizzy, but he somehow managed to gather his coat and jacket.  "Wait here."  Despite his words, though, for a moment he stood rooted, eyes locking with Knight's desperate gaze, and he wanted him _so much_.  But he couldn't – they couldn't – so Nikko pulled his feet free and left the room.

With his bundle held in front of his straining erection, Nikko made his way to the kitchen, where Penny was pacing back and forth in contrast to Ginger sitting casually at a small table.  "He's ready," was all Nikko had a chance to say before Penny pranced out of the room, tail and ass wagging behind her.

There was a steaming cup of coffee waiting on the table across from Ginger and Nikko sat behind it.  Then he let his head fall, hitting the table harder than he had intended, but the pain helped soften his erection.

Ginger laughed at him.  "Aww, is Mommy worried about his growing boy?"

"I feel like a pimp."

"Just think of yourself as the ultimate wingman."  Ginger laughed again.  She was so much more used to this, it was almost unfair.

"What does that make you?"

"Ooh, below the belt, Nikko."  But then she chuckled, as confident as Penny.  The two were made for each other.  "If it helps, you can think of it as breeding.  It's totally normal for owners to mate their animals for breeding.  Just, nothing will come from it in this case."

"Are they, though?"

"Hm?"

Nikko lifted his head just high enough to slip his arms underneath and rest on them, his eyes picking up Ginger's curious gaze for a moment before flicking away.  "Are they just animals?"

"Nikko-"

"I know.  We talked about this last year; I remember.  Despite their bodies, their minds are mostly animal.  You said that.  But..."  He buried his face in his arms then; his voice went low, and he didn't particularly care if Ginger heard him or not.  He wasn't really talking to her anymore as he said "The more time I spend with him, the less I believe that."

It was silent for a long while, a still quiet pressing on them like glass, until Ginger shattered it to say "I know what you mean."  She had heard him after all.  Nikko looked back up to see a rare, serious Ginger.  "I haven't talked with anyone else about it, but...  It's a rhetoric everyone spouts, but I wonder how many people actually believe it.  Like...  Penny is so worried about how she looks.  She acts flirty and confident, but I've seen her in tears over a bad case of bed-head.  She hates studying but loves the shit out of TV, and seeing all those beautiful, human women on the screen has really messed her perception of how important appearance is.  It's just like dealing with a little girl.  It's not at all something a _dog_ would worry about."

Nikko sat up straight.  He had never heard Ginger speak so candidly about Penny.  Their relationship always seemed like pals, roommates, but in that moment she looked like a mother finally opening up about her daughter.  "I...  I didn't know that," he said softly.

"Don't get me wrong, Pen still has a lot of animal traits and habits.  Sometimes it's very easy to remember she's not human, but sometimes it's not so easy."

"Knight is the same way," Nikko replied, a smile finding its way to his face.  "He still digs when he's agitated, but at the same time he's determined to learn how to cook.  He's far too thoughtful to be just an animal."

"I was _so_ shocked when he called me to get help with your Christmas present."  Ginger smiled again too, parents doting on their children.  "He had already done all the research himself; he just needed a credit card number to make the reservation."

"He's really excited about the trip."  Nikko's heart glowed for his Knight.  "Have you taken Penny anywhere?"

Ginger laughed.  "She loves amusement parks.  She says her goal is to hit up every park in the country.  I think I've been on more roller coasters in the past three years than in the entire rest of my life combined."

Nikko smiled and reached for the coffee cup he had finally remembered he had.  "That's probably her most dog-like trait.  Dogs love roller coasters."

"You would know."

"Hey, I'm not just a fox guy.  I had a dog when I was a kid.  He was in love with a pillow, to the point that it was dubbed 'Jasper's Girlfriend'.  He was very, uh... _passionate_ about it."

Ginger threw her head back, smile wide, laughter bright.  " _That_ sounds more like Penny."

Nikko chuckled as well, but it broke off quickly when Penny herself stormed into the kitchen, glowering, and slammed herself into an empty chair.  Her sudden appearance stunned them to silence, the two humans staring at the disgruntled pup as if they could read an explanation on her skin.

"Finished already?" Ginger finally asked.

Penny's response was to look Nikko square in the face and snap "Your fox is gay!"

 

 

 

They walked home in silence.  Nikko didn't ask what happened – really didn't need to – and figured Knight would speak if he wanted to talk about it.

And apparently, he did.  Halfway through the trip he suddenly said "My body knew what to do, just like you said."

"Yeah?"

"Mm."  Knight nodded.  "I got into a position behind Penny, and it was kind of automatic.  But then she lifted her dress, and..."

"And?"

"I could smell... her."

Nikko almost choked on nothing, but kept silent.

"She smelled sweet, like Tina, but..."  Then Knight's expression and voice dropped.  His ears probably would have too, if they weren't tucked into his winter cap.  "But it didn't smell like Nikko.  She didn't have... what Nikko has..."

"Knight..."

"So my penis went soft again, and Penny got upset.  And she tried touching it and rubbing it and she even used her mouth a little bit, but I didn't want that, and it didn't get hard again."

A small whimper escaped Nikko.  His chest hurt, heart pounding, even as he asked "Did you try the kiss I showed you?"

"No," Knight answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not in love with Penny."

Nikko's heart squeezed hard, making him feel sick, and they spent the rest of the walk in silence.  Snow began to fall, covering them in white, and though Nikko adored snow, he couldn't appreciate it.  He couldn't process what was going on, mind being driven in every direction at once.  He wanted to believe Knight's words and actions – or, specifically, his lack of actions with the adorable animal girls throwing themselves at him – meant something.  But he also couldn't forget Penny's words, despite them being said in frustration.  Perhaps Knight's lack of interest in both Penny and Tina was just a general lack of interest in girls.  Homosexuality wasn't unheard of in the animal kingdom, and the assumption that Knight would have preferred a female was just a byproduct of a still-too heteronormative upbringing.

Maybe Knight just wanted a guy.  Maybe – probably – it wasn't Nikko specifically he wanted, but rather a man's scent.  It was something they hadn't tried yet, but may be worth the attempt.  It hurt, but Knight had gone along with everything so far, and they needed to do something.

He moved on auto-pilot, not really even realizing they had arrived home and he was standing in the entrance hall until he heard Knight call "Nikko."

He turned and caught an armful of fox.  Knight had bent low, capturing Nikko's lips in a kiss, holding on to Nikko's coat as though he had been waiting for this chance the entire journey home.  And then he opened his mouth, leading Nikko's lips to part, and lapped at Nikko's tongue.  He moaned into the kiss, pulled Nikko closer, held him tighter.

There was no way.  There was no way Knight understood what he was doing.  He had gotten confused somewhere; that was the only explanation.  Animals didn't have a concept of romance.  But Nikko – _oh_ Nikko –

He was in love.

He was in love, love, _love_ with this beautiful creature, which was what made it so excruciating to pull away.  "Knight," he gasped, trying to catch his breath and his voice through his choked-up throat.  He didn't even need to glance down – though he did anyway – to know Knight was hard.  "Knight, I'm...  I'm tired.  I want to take a shower and go to bed."

"A shower at night?"  A pout touched Knight's lips.  "You always shower in the morning."

"Y-Yes, but I feel... dirty.  And cold.  I need a warm shower to thaw out my fingers."

"What about dinner?"

"Can you make something for yourself?  I'll just have a snack later."

Knight stared at him a moment, then suddenly launched forward again.  He didn't kiss this time, only held Nikko in a tight embrace, tucking Nikko against his larger body.  "I'm sorry if I messed up.  I'm sorry that I keep bothering you."

Nikko's eyes went warm, and he wrapped his arms around Knight in return.  "Don't be sorry.  You didn't do anything wrong, and you never bother me."  He pulled back enough to look up into Knight's face.  "I'm just worried about you."

Knight pouted again, but didn't respond.

 

 

 

The third time Nikko arranged a _social_ meeting was no less embarrassing than the first, but also accepted just as easily.

He had some reservations about setting up Knight and Gus.  Though the two were good friends and Gus clearly still had his little crush on Knight, Gus was also aggressive and had issues with restraint.  He was all brawn and no brains, which didn't help the trepidation Nikko already held towards wolves.

There were, however, exactly zero other options.  He didn't know or particularly like Reece enough to ask if Axle would be interested, and he didn't really know Alice well enough either, so couldn't ask about Ben or Jerry.  And as far as he knew, Ruka and Toto were only socializing with each other these days, so they would be a no even if he knew Noella's number.  He just didn't know anyone else.

But Knight was okay with Gus.  Knight liked the idea of trying it with a friend, someone he had known for a long time and was comfortable with.  And when they headed off to Buck's house, Knight seemed far less nervous about meeting up with Gus.

Gus was the one to answer the door, having it open and bounding out to tackle Knight before they had even ascended the porch steps.  The two students landed in a pile of snow, Gus seeming to not feel the cold despite wearing nothing more than a t-shirt and jeans.  His bare feet were lightly-furred and _clawed_ , different than Knight's completely human toes, and the long, black nails dug into the frozen ground as Gus pinned Knight and began sniffing him.  "This is gonna be great!"

"Gus!" Buck barked from the front door.  "Get outta the snow; you'll freeze!"

Fanged grin flashing, Gus got up, then helped Knight to his feet.  Knight's own lips held a smile, cheeks flushed from the exertion or the cold or something else.  He looked happy – at least happier than he had for the other meetings – and it made Nikko think it just might work this time, which was good for Knight, even if it made Nikko's heart ache.

Nikko turned to Buck, who held the door open for everyone as they filed inside.  "Thanks for... this."

"Eh, it ain't no thang," Buck answered with a smile.  "Gus has been so excited since ya called, he's broke three lamps with his tail.  I'm 'bout ready to cut the damn thing off."

Nikko chuckled, even as he noted once again that he could never handle a wolf.

Gus stood behind Knight with his hands on Knight's hips, chanting "Let's go!  Let's go!"

"Knight," Nikko called softly to get the fox's attention.  "Do you want to talk a bit first?"

Knight stood still for a moment, and then he smiled.  "No, it's okay."

Nikko's gut churned with jealousy, but he nodded, returned the smile.  "Then...  Have fun."

Gus continued to chant "Let's go!  Let's go!" as he led Knight by the hips towards his bedroom.

"I hope... they're okay," Nikko said absently as he stared at where the two animal boys used to be.

Buck snorted, then turned and headed toward the kitchen.  "Wanna beer?"

"Ah, no thank you," Nikko answered as he followed behind Buck.  "I don't really like beer."

"Ya don't like beer?  What kinda man are ya?"

"The... kind who doesn't like beer."

Buck laughed.  "Fair enough."  Then he pulled open the fridge.  "Would ya prefer some Chardonnay?"

"I... don't really like wine either."

"Good, 'cause I ain't got none."  He laughed again, as did Nikko, and then pulled out a can of cola.  "Pop?"

"That'll do," Nikko replied, taking the can.  "Thanks."

Buck closed the fridge with a beer for himself in one hand, and then leaned against the huge, white door.  "So ya tried fixin' Knight up with Penny?"

"And Tina too, but neither of them worked out."  He cracked open the can, the overly sweet scent of soda filling his nostrils.  "I guess..."  He spoke cautiously, then.  "I guess girls just don't do it for him."

"Gus is the same way," Buck said with a snort of laughter that put Nikko at ease.  It seemed he really didn't mind homosexuality – at least in animals.  "When he and Penny first met, she was all over him, but he wasn't interested.  Pissed her off.  They've hated each other ever since, or at least they claim they do."

"Oh-"  Nikko paused a moment when he thought he heard a ' _thump_ ' from the back of the house, but when no other sounds came, he continued.  "What do you mean by 'claim'?"

Buck shrugged and smirked.  "Half the time they act more like friendly rivals."

Slowly, after a moment of thoughtful silence, Nikko decided to ask outright.  He didn't know how to navigate relationships, but he was sure honesty was a part of friendship, and if that's what they had...  Well, he took a chance.  "So, you're okay with that?  With Gus being..."

"Gay?"  Buck's smile deepened at Nikko's nod.  "I ain't got a problem with gays, Nikko.  I know I seem like a big ol' redneck, but I ain't got a problem with Gus, and I ain't got a problem with Knight, and I ain't got a problem with _you_."

Nikko's gaze took to the floor as his cheeks warmed.  Buck did come off like a stereotypical redneck, and to be honest, Nikko had judged him on that.  He had a lifetime of bullying to base it on, but it was still an assumption that suddenly had him feeling ashamed.  "Sorry..."

"No worries, mate"

"So..."  Then his eyes came back up.  "You knew?  About me?"

"Well, I mean..."  Buck gestured with his beer, another shrug.  "It was just a guess..."

Everyone made assumptions, he supposed.  Nikko smiled, and was just about to comment to that effect when he heart another, definite, louder ' _thump_ ', followed by the sound of stuff falling, and a very familiar whimper.

Nikko snapped into movement, dropping the can in his hands without even thinking about it, taking off down the hall.  He had been to Buck's place before; he knew where the bedrooms were, and he didn't pause or hesitate as he threw open the door to Gus's room, that whimper ringing in his ears.

Gus stood with his pants pushed down, dick out and shoved into Knight's mouth.  Knight was on his knees, trying to pull away, yanking desperately with his whole body, but Gus had a firm hold of his horns, preventing Knight from moving his head.  While there was fear, betrayal, and tears in Knight's eyes, Gus's had gone blank, lucid.

"No!" Nikko shouted as he moved.  He didn't have time for fear or being proper and prim.  He didn't think about what action would be best – he didn't think at all as he slammed his shoulder into Gus.  His tiny body didn't move the wolf all that much, but it was enough to make him lose his grip on Knight's horns, giving Knight a chance to pull free.

Gus whirled on Nikko, snarling, his large teeth bared, and for a brief moment Nikko was sure the wolf was ready to use them.  Buck stepped in between them, grabbing Gus by the back of the neck, which seemed to flip a switch, turning on the light in Gus's eyes.

Nikko scampered around them, going to Knight and wrapping arms around him.  "Knight!  Knight, are you okay!?"

"Nikko..."

"Come on."  He stood up, pulling Knight with him and never letting go of him.

"I'm so sorry!" Buck said, looking sincere and overcome with guilt.  Gus looked horrified, terrified, like he had just destroyed everything important with his own hands.

"It's-  It's fine."  No, it wasn't.  "We just-  We have to go.  I'm sorry."  Nikko didn't say anything more as he led Knight out of the house, his heart pounding, using every bit of his will to remain calm for Knight's sake.  Knight was shaking, forcing each step, and after several blocks he collapsed completely.

"Why-  Why did he do that!?"  Knight pressed his hands to his eyes, crying loudly.

Nikko crouched by Knight's side, keeping arms around him for support.  "Knight..." he whispered, but he didn't really know what to say.

"Gus-"  Knight sobbed, a keening cry ripping from the back of his throat.  "Gus isn't my friend anymore!"

Completely lost, heart breaking for his devastated fox, Nikko ran a hand through Knight's hair, kissed the side of his head, and let him cry.

 

 

 

The living room was dim, the only light on in the apartment being the one down the entrance hallway.  It made it difficult for Nikko's human eyes to see much, but that was okay.

They sat on the couch together, Knight managing to be in Nikko's lap somehow, curled against him.  His face was pressed to Nikko's chest, though he had stopped crying long ago.  Nikko kept his hand moving through Knight's hair, soothing.  He must have been sitting there, petting his fox for hours, yet he felt like he could keep it up for hours more.

He felt guilty.  This had all been his idea anyway, but even aside from that, he should have listened to his own intuition about Gus.  It wasn't that he thought Gus was bad, per se – the guilt and despair that had been painted across his face was enough to give him the benefit of the doubt – but Gus was certainly more feral than the other students.  There was quite a bit more wolf in him, and it only just started to occur to Nikko that that could be a thing.

Knight began to stir.  He wiped his face along Nikko's chest, and Nikko felt his shirt dampen.  Knight had started crying again.  "I can't-  I can't do it anymore," he said between loud sniffles.

"Can't?"

"Socializing.  I...  I don't want to try anymore."

"That's all right," Nikko said, arms tightening around Knight.  "You don't have to.  You never had to."

"It's no good if it's not Nikko," Knight declared, pressing closer.  "I only want Nikko!  I only want to taste Nikko!  I want-!"  He rubbed his face into Nikko's shirt.  "I want to taste Nikko..."

"You can..."

He hadn't even realized what he had said until Knight was looking up at him with tear-stained eyes blown wide open in shock.  Like his subconscious desperation to comfort Knight would have him agreeing to anything in that moment, his mouth made the decision for him.  But, given the way Knight's face finally started to light up, smile just barely pulling at the sides of his lips as he questioned "Really?  I can?" – given the way Knight's tail began to twitch and curl against Nikko's leg – Nikko knew he couldn't take it back.

"Y-Yeah..." he answered slowly.  "But only one time.  And, Knight, you can't tell _anyone_."  God, he felt like such a predator.  "Okay?  Nobody can ever know."

Knight had practically bounced to his knees, suddenly full of energy, full of life, now that he was getting his way.  "I won't tell anyone!  It'll be a secret!"

"Okay.  Then-"  He cut off when Knight slid off the couch, landing heavy on his knees, and pushed Nikko's legs open to crawl in between.  Anxious.  Knight already had Nikko's pants undone when Nikko caught his hands.  "Knight, slow down."  And when Knight looked up with puppy-dog eyes, he forced a smile.  "We have all night."

"I want Nikko."

"You can have me... just for tonight.  So... take your time."

The idea of savoring something wasn't likely a concept foxes understood, but Knight listened.  His hands slowed, working more leisurely to push the cloth of Nikko's pants away, and when Nikko nervously lifted his hips – still in disbelief that he was about to go through with this – Knight gently tugged everything down, releasing Nikko's semi-erect dick to the dim apartment.

"It's not hard," Knight said.

"I'm nervous."

Knight chuckled.  "But I want what's inside.  How do I get it out?  By licking it?"

"Knight-"  Nikko's face was red, his whole body warm.  Whether Knight was asking honestly or not, the innocence he emitted was... _sexy_.  Though it wasn't like Nikko had some kind of virgin fetish, Knight's coy play was a turn-on, making his erection lengthen in the fox's hand.  And when Knight licked from base to tip, Nikko gasped loudly.  His eyes clenched shut and his mouth hung open.  He was careful not to let his hands move to Knight's head, not wanting to scare the fox, so he gripped the couch cushions in tight fists instead.

Knight stayed at the top of Nikko's dick, running his tongue over the hole he knew would produce what he wanted and driving Nikko absolutely insane.  Nikko wanted to plead with Knight to swallow the whole thing, to suck him off to blissful completion, but this wasn't for Nikko's pleasure.  This was for Knight, for Knight's happiness, to let Knight experience and taste something he had been craving.  So Nikko only whimpered and gasped in need at each swipe of that selfish tongue.

"Nikko."  Knight pulled off, calling Nikko's name in a voice that made him whimper just as much as the attention to his cock did.  Nikko cracked his eyes open to see Knight looking up at him, tail curling in pleasure.  "Does it feel good, Nikko?"

After a few heavy breaths, Nikko answered "Y-Yeah...  Yeah, it does."

Knight's smile was sweet, despite the fact that he was holding Nikko's cock to his face.  "I'm glad."  Then his smile turned up.  "It's starting to come out."  He licked away the drops of precum that had beaded at Nikko's tip.

Electricity jolted through Nikko's body, shocks of pleasure that built up at his dick and spread, causing all of his muscles to contract.  And when Knight moved up to – _finally_ – take all of him in his mouth, Nikko moaned, loud, and squeezed the cushions in his grip even tighter, holding on for dear life.  He didn't know how Knight knew what to do, how the fox had figured out how amazing it was when he slid his mouth up and down over Nikko's erection, and in that moment, he really didn't care.

Every time Knight's mouth came up, he licked across the head of Nikko's dick, sometimes pausing to run his tongue along the underside, determined to catch every bit of his taste.  Then he went down again, his lips sliding along Nikko's shaft, coaxing out more of what he wanted.  Each movement drew a noise out of Nikko – a pant, a moan, a cry – and though Nikko tried his damndest to stay still, his hips began to move, pushing in minute movements up into Knight's mouth.  It only seemed to encourage the fox more, his mouth becoming more active, moving faster, sucking harder.

Nikko didn't know how close he was until he was crying out Knight's name.  He came into the hungry mouth, and Knight continued to suck the entire time, giving his own small sound of pleasure as he swallowed the seed down.

Then the oversensitivity hit, making Nikko hiss when Knight still lapped at him.  His hands moved at last, his fingers having to be pulled from where they had embedded themselves into the couch cushions, and went to Knight's head, pushing.  "Stop, _stop_."

Knight pulled away and looked up, a drop of cum clinging to his lip and – dear _god_ – it almost set Nikko off again.  Knight's tongue darting out to lick it away didn't help, but the fox didn't seem to notice as he simply questioned "Nikko?"

"It-  It hurts if you keep doing it after I... come."

"Come?  Come where?"  Knight's tail curled despite his confusion.

"No, I mean...  After I... orgasm.  It gets very sensitive."

"I understand."  Knight left Nikko's dick alone, moving up to instead wrap his arms around Nikko's waist, snuggling against his body.  "Thank you, Nikko," he said in a too gentle voice, as if he were the one who just got sucked off.  "You taste good.  It made me happy."

"I...  I'm glad..."  He rubbed Knight's ear, then let his head fall back against the couch and sighed.

This was getting dangerous.


	16. Gus-Gus

 

 

 

They had made it to bed, somehow.  Nikko was pretty sure Knight carried him, as his knees had gone weak from the awesome blow job.  He was also pretty sure Knight had gone ahead and crawled into bed with him instead of going to his own room, which was something the fox had been doing more and more often lately.  Nikko was having a hard time being strict about it, though, since what was the point of always starting off in separate rooms if Knight was just going to sneak into his bed anyway, and because he didn't exactly hate sleeping with the warm fox.

Nikko had rolled over in bed after being awoken, head fuzzy and confused by the music playing.  It took him a moment to realize it was his phone ringing from inside the bag he had dragged along into the room and dropped in front of the nightstand.  One hand slid down the side of the bed, feeling around the bag, searching.  By the time he located and pulled out the black and silver phone, it had stopped singing at him, but he saw Buck's name on the 'missed calls' display.

Damn.

Of course, he would have to deal with it.  While he had no intention of forcing reconciliation between Knight and Gus, he would have to talk to Buck about what happened, like adults – like parents speaking for their fighting schoolboys.  But it was difficult; he didn't want to be involved in any kind of confrontation, even if it were Buck inevitably apologizing on Gus's behalf.

He would deal with it, though.  As he set the phone down on the nightstand and buried his face in the pillow, he promised he would answer the next time Buck called.

Which turned out to be thirty seconds later.

Nikko lifted his head to stare at the phone, then grabbed for it before the call dropped again.  As he greeted his "Hello?" he flipped himself over and sat up, leaning his back against the bed's headboard.

"Hey, yo, it's Buck."

"Hey..."  Then Nikko got momentarily distracted from the conversation that hadn't really begun yet when Knight wiggled up and wrapped his arms around Nikko's waist, using Nikko's hip as a pillow.  The curve of his horn dug painfully into Nikko's hip bone, until Nikko reached down to nudge Knight's head into a better position.  Then his hand stayed on Knight's head, fingers digging into the soft, caramel hair.

Buck went on, oblivious to the snuggling happening on Nikko's end of the line.  "So...  I wanted to say sorry again, for what happened.  Gus just...  Ya know, sometimes his instincts just get the better of him, and he forgets restraint.  Err...  Not that he's got that much restraint to begin with."

"I understand," Nikko said in a careful voice.  He wasn't entirely sure how he felt, or what he wanted to say.  For the time, he opted to say nothing.

"He's not a bad guy, ya know?" Buck continued after a spat of silence.  "He feels like shit about what happened, and he's really sorry."

"I do believe that, but...  It's not for me to forgive."

"Yeah, I know."  The line went silent again, dead air hanging between them until Buck gave a defeated sigh.  "Look, I'm gonna be a little bit selfish here.  Ya got every right to report Gus.  I wouldn't blame ya if you did, but...  I'm seriously askin' here that ya don't.  It wouldn't be his first offense, and I don't know if they'd let me keep him.  Ya know?  I don't wanna lose him."

A small sound escaped from the back of Nikko's throat as his hand went to Knight's cheek, hugging the fox's head closer to his hip.

"I know he's got his problems," Buck said next.  "But...  I love the guy."  A beat of silence ticked by, and then he added "I mean, not like _that_ , but...   Ya know what I'm sayin'?"

"Yeah."  Nikko smiled despite things and looked down.  Knight slept peacefully against him, silly, happy grin on his face.  He looked as though he were in some kind of post-coital bliss, which was ridiculous, because Nikko was the only one in the room who had actually gotten off recently.  He was a strange fox, which made Nikko smile more as his hand moved back to petting Knight's hair.  "I know what you mean."

A puff like an audible smirk came over the line.  It said enough – Buck knew Nikko understood the affection between teacher and student very well.  He likely – hopefully – didn't know just how much affection was between Nikko and Knight, though.  "So...?"  Buck's obvious question sounded in his voice.

"I won't report him."

A long breath this time, relief.  "Thanks, man.  I owe ya one."

"It's... okay.  Just..."  Nikko paused then.  It really wasn't his place to lecture.  Buck had been at this a lot longer than he had.

Buck used the pause to ask "Do ya want the full story?"

That was unexpected, but Nikko found himself saying "Yeah, sure."

"I'll buy ya brunch.  Anywhere ya want."

 

 

 

They met up at Starbucks.  Nikko was sure the staff there recognized him by now, and he wouldn't be surprised if they thought he was some kind of slut, showing up with a different guy every few months.  He wanted to greet the barista with 'We're just friends!' – Instead, he ordered his usual café mocha and a cinnamon roll.

He had left Knight at home.  Even though he had known Gus wouldn't be coming along, he wanted Buck to be able to tell his story openly, and wasn't sure he would be able to do so with Knight sitting there.  This would be a teachers' meeting, and Knight had understood when Nikko explained that to him.

"Shit, man," Buck said as he stared at the menu.  "I don't know what half this shit is.  What's a fap casino?"

"A frappuccino?" Nikko supplied.

"Whatever."  Buck looked to the waiting cashier.  "Just gimme a large coffee and two of them sprinkle donuts."

When they had sat with their food, Buck immediately tore into one of the donuts, polishing it off in record time.  Nikko was significantly less enthusiastic about his roll – though he did so love cinnamon – unraveling it bit by bit with a fork and knife.

"Okay, so here's the thing," Buck started after sucking the frosting off his fingers.  "I just-  An' this is just between us, right?  I just don't think I'm cut out for this program."

Nikko was taken aback, surprised not only that Buck felt that way, but by how straight-forward he was about it, like he had been thinking it for a long time, and was anxious to tell someone.  "What makes you say that?"

"I got into this for the wrong reason.  You remember Reece, yeah?"  At Nikko's affirmative nod, Buck went on.  "He an' I go way back.  We've been pals since middle school, and have always competed at everythin'.  So when he showed up one day with Axle-  Oh _man_.  All those sharp teeth under his control.  I thought he was like a beast master, and I wanted in on that too."

Nikko almost laughed at how Buck described it, but kept it at "I see."

"But I had to be better, ya know?  So I went down there an' I got me a _wolf_.  Not just any wolf either; I had to have the biggest, strongest wolf available."

"Gus?"

" _Yeah_.  And they didn't wanna give him to me.  I didn't have no experience with animals or children and hadn't never taught nobody _nothing_ before."

"Then how did you get him?"

"My coordinator, May-  Do ya know her?"

Nikko shook his head in the negative while he chewed his cinnamon roll.

"She's a little yorkie and had _just_ graduated.  It was so easy to bully her into givin' in.  So I got my way, took Gus home, then realized I knew fuck-all 'bout what I was doin'.  I've been wingin' it ever since."

It wasn't quite the heroic tale Nikko had been expecting, but he understood.  A lot of people – even Nikko himself – had stories of things they had done or money they had spent simply to keep up with or surpass their peers.  Everyone was susceptible to bouts of 'Keeping up with the Joneses'.  "For what it's worth..." he started slowly, and at Buck's raised brow, he continued.  "I think you're doing fine."  It was almost strange being on this side of self-doubt, for once.  "I've seen you get Gus under control when...  When his instincts have taken over.  That's not something anyone can do.  And he trusts you and relies on you; that says a lot.  How are his studies?"

Buck shrugged.  "Fine, I guess.  Readin' is difficult for him, so it's been slow going, but he can learn."

"See?"  Nikko tilted a knowing nod towards Buck.  "That you know that says a lot.  It's not like you've chained him to a doghouse outside, thrown some books at him, and left him to work it out for himself."

"Yeah.  Well..."

"And also..."  Nikko paused, looked away for a moment, then drew his eyes back to meet Buck's hazel gaze.  "Gus has some other difficulties, doesn't he?"

Carefully, Buck asked "Like...?"

"He's more wolf than human, isn't he?"

"What makes you say that?"

"I saw his feet."

Buck's lip quirked up in a smirk.  "Yeah, it's true.  I mean, ya don't really get to choose what genetic traits show up, right?  Back then, May straight-up said Gus was close to being considered a failure an' destroyed because there's just so much wolf in him."

That was even more than Nikko had guessed, and his eyes widened a touch.  "Wow."

"Yeah.  He's come a long way."

Nikko smiled then.  "Because of you."

"I don't know 'bout all that," Buck replied, but he held a smile of his own.  Nikko's smile turned up a notch as he popped the last of his cinnamon roll into his mouth, and it was then that Buck added "He's got a knot, too."

Nikko choked on the food he had been about to swallow, sputtering as Buck laughed at him.  When he managed to successfully get the lump down, he looked up at Buck.  "I don't even want to know how you know that."

Buck answered anyway.  "Couple'a years ago at a picnic he was going at it with a chihuahua and they just..."  He flailed a hand.  "Got stuck."

"Oh, my god."

"Little dude's teacher had to sit there with him for half an hour before it went down.  She was so mad."  Buck laughed then, loudly.  He continued to giggle even as he picked up his coffee to drink.

And somehow, despite being very different people, their conversation continued to flow, moving on to other topics, normal human interaction.  They talked until Buck's other donut was but a memory and there was nothing left of Nikko's mocha but the last dregs of cold, cinnamon-tainted chocolate.

When they had both had their fill of coffee and chatting, Buck gave a sincere "Hey, man, thanks for listenin'.  I feel better."

Nikko shook his head.  "Honestly, I'm kind of flattered that you trusted me enough to tell me."

"Well, yeah.  We're friends."

"Ah."  Nikko's lip pulled up.  "We're friends."

"An' I hope Knight's okay."

He was more than okay that morning, but they would have to see where things went between the students.  "He'll be fine," Nikko said.  "But...  I don't think he'll want to see Gus for a while."

Buck put his hands up.  "Understandable."

With a smile and a nod, Nikko gathered up his coat and stood to swing it on.  "Then, as my friend, I'm sure you would be more than happy to buy me another cinnamon roll.  To go."

" _Scammed_ ," Buck said, even as he threw on his own coat and pulled out his wallet.

It was snowing when they stepped out of the café, more and more white adding to what already covered the city.  Nikko clutched the paper carry-out bag in one hand and was just about to wave a goodbye to Buck with the other when he spotted a familiar yellow eye peeking from behind a tree.  He couldn't help a chuckle as he commented "Oh, I have an escort."

Buck laughed and waved to the conspicuous fox, which Knight returned with a nod that ended up knocking his head into the tree.  Then Buck said "Take care of him" in a tone Nikko was unaware the heavy man was able to make.

"Thanks," Nikko replied.  "And you too.  Take care of Gus, and believe in yourself.  You've been working really hard with him and haven't given up, so have faith."

Buck's lip quirked again, but all he said was "See ya," before he headed off to the parking lot.

Nikko trotted up to the waiting Knight, who pouted and said "I got lonely."

"I was only gone a short time."

"I know..."

Soft smile in place, Nikko held up the paper bag as they began to walk home.  "I got you a cinnamon roll."

"For me!?"  Knight's face lit up as he took the bag.  "I'm so happy!"  Then he tackled Nikko in a hug, knocking both of them to the fluffy, snow-covered ground.  Nikko landed on his back with Knight on top of him, snuggling into his chest.

" _Knight_ ," Nikko reprimanded as he pushed at the fox's shoulders.  "We're in public."

"I'm sorry, Nikko."  Knight sat up, but made no move to stand, keeping Nikko trapped beneath him.  "But, because you thought of me and because...  Because of last night...  I'm really happy!"

Knight looked gorgeous in the shining daylight, white snow flitting about his head.  Nikko wanted to pull him down and kiss him, and from the way Knight pursed his lips and let his gaze caress across Nikko's face, he thought maybe – _probably_ – Knight wanted it too.  But they were in public; people would see.  For all Nikko knew, Buck could still be in eyesight of them.  And furthermore, it was freezing.  While Knight wore a warm winter hat complete with ear flaps, Nikko's head was bare.  His ears were tipped with icicles, and he was pretty sure snow was creeping its way into his coat.

"Knight," Nikko said again, liking the feel of the name on his tongue.  "I'm cold.  If I don't get up soon, I'll get sick."

"I'm sorry, Nikko!"  Knight leapt up, and then helped Nikko to his feet.  They resumed their trek home, and after a few paces Nikko lifted a gloved hand.  Knight took it happily.  "If you _did_ get sick," Knight said cheerfully.  "I would take care of you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes!"

Nikko laughed.  The past two days had been a wild ride of ups and downs, leaving his mind and heart scrambled.  But _this_ , at least...  This felt familiar.  The strong hand gripping his tightly kept him grounded, and he wouldn't let it go.


	17. Tender, Loving, Care

 

 

 

Knight had gotten mail two days prior.  It was weird, because he never got mail.  The only things to ever grace their silver box on the building's first floor were bills for Nikko to take care of, letters that often sent him into a tizzy of anxiety, and ads.  Knight never got mail.

But two days prior, he did.

There was a card inside that contained all of Knight's personal information – his name, address, height and weight.  It listed his eyes as brown, though he knew they weren't, and even had a birthday for him, which was something he wasn't aware he had.  Also on the card was a photo – an old one of Knight from the company's database.

Along with the card was a letter addressed generically to all students, explaining that the cards were being issued as identification – that they were identical to a human's I.D. card or driver's license, and could be used the same way.  They were to be kept safe and carried on the students whenever they went out, especially alone.

Nikko had blushed when he saw the card, but had overall been impressed with it, and showed Knight his own I.D. card.  They really were the same, and Nikko wondered out loud if the students' were legal.  Knight was more interested in how cute Nikko's picture was, looking so young, caught somewhere between smiling and not.

"Your hair is different," Knight had said as he scrutinized the tiny picture.

"Yeah, I didn't have the undercut then."

"Undercut?"

Nikko rubbed the shortest parts of his hair, the clipped bits that Knight liked running his fingers against whenever Nikko came back from the barber shop.  "Yeah, the way it's shorter here and longer on top.  Years ago, it was all one length."

"I see," Knight replied.

They had gone shopping that day, to buy Knight a new wallet in which to keep his new I.D. card.

Two days later, Knight got a phone call.

His phone ringing wasn't nearly as rare as getting mail.  He assumed it was Nikko, who sometimes called to check up on him.  Every great now and then it was Jack, to relay some information about textbooks or just to see how he was doing.  Lately he had gotten a few calls from Gus, but Knight ignored them.  Gus wasn't his friend.

On that day, however, it wasn't Nikko or Jack or even Gus.  The display said 'Unknown Number', and it was with some bit of nervousness that Knight tapped to answer, then immediately tapped for the speakerphone function.  "Hello?"

A woman's voice asked "Is this Knight Krakowski?"

That was Nikko's last name.  Knight didn't have a last name, as far as he knew.  Come to think of it, that was the last name they had put on his I.D. card, too.

"This is Knight," he answered, confused.

"This is Rita Johnson.  I'm the principal at Shochu Elementary."

"Nikko's work."

"That's right.  You're listed as the emergency contact for Nikko."

Knight didn't know what that meant, but he knew the word 'emergency', and it made his tail and voice go stiff.  "Did something happen?"

"Nothing too bad, dear."  Rita Johnson's voice turned softer in response to Knight's worried tone.  "Nikko fell sick today and was taken to the hospital.  He'll probably need help getting home."

"Oh...  Oh no..."  Knight's heart started thumping.  He didn't know what to do if Nikko was sick.  Would he have to get a job and pay bills?  Would he have to feed Nikko by hand and give him baths?  Would he have to-

"It's not serious," Rita cut into his thoughts.  "Just a touch of the flu is all.  Are you able to pick him up from the hospital?"

"Yes!"  Taking care of Nikko was his duty; he would definitely pick him up.  "Where is the hospital?"

"He's at Kvass University Hospital.  Do you know where it is?"

"No," Knight answered honestly.  "But I can use a map."

"All right.  Then-"

"Nikko taught me how."

There was a beat of silence, and then, "All right.  Please have him call me when he gets home."

"Okay."

"Thanks, sweetie."

Knight didn't know what a 'sweetie' was either, but he thanked Rita for calling him and hung up.  Then he immediately looked up the hospital on his phone's map application, glad that it didn't seem to be too far away, and then grabbed for his coat and hat.

He ran the entire way to the hospital, following the paths that showed on his phone.  He only ran into three people, apologizing quickly each time before taking off again, and it wasn't long until he was standing before the large hospital building.  Finding the proper entrance was more difficult than finding the hospital itself.

There was a receptionist window a lobby-length away from the door he entered, with a pretty, young, human girl sitting on the other side.  Knight headed for there, practically yelling "I'm here to pick up Nikko!"

For some reason, the girl sat up straighter after she looked up at Knight's face.  Her back leaned a bit, pushing her chest out.  Her eyelashes fluttered as she questioned "Nikko?"

"Nikko Krakowski.  He came here with a flu."

"I see," she replied.  "One moment, please."  She typed a bit at the computer on her desk.  A moment later, she said "Okay, it looks like Mr. Krakowski is doing fine and resting right now.  He can go home at any time.  Would you like to see him?"

"Yes!" Knight answered, his tail beating excited against his leg.

"Are you family?"

"Yes!"

"What is your relation?"

Knight's tail went limp.  "Relation?"

"Yes," the girl said, smiling.  "Are you his brother?  His son?"

"I'm his student!"

The girl's brows rose.  "Student?"

"Yes!"

"But you're family?"

"Yes!"

"So, how are you related?"

Knight's shoulders dropped, excitement at seeing Nikko bleeding out of him.  This girl must have been slow, or wasn't listening to him, because Knight was sure he had answered this question already.  "I'm his student."

"So...  You're not his brother?"

"No."

"You're not his son?"

"No."

"You're not his cousin?"

"No!"

The girl sat back in her chair.  Her lip held a bit of a curl to it; her fine eyebrows took on a crinkle, looking annoyed.  She didn't seem so pretty anymore.  "Look, only the patients' immediate families can go back into the hospital wards."

"Nikko is my family!"

" _Immediate_ family.  If you're not his brother or his kid, you'll have to wait out here."

Knight felt his mouth fall into a deep frown, but at least he didn't cry.  "How long do I have to wait?"

She shrugged.  "Depends on how long it takes the doctor to sign his forms."  Then she tilted her chin towards some chairs and a TV.  "You can sit over there."

Knight gave a pout, but then slinked off and sat in one of the plush lobby chairs.  He faced the door that must have led back into where the patients were – where Nikko was – and he waited.

And waited.

And waited.

Eventually, he picked his feet up off the floor, half-curling in the chair.  Sounds from the TV came to his ears, muffled through the layers of wool and flannel that made up his hat, but he paid it no mind.  All of his attention went to the door, and he waited.

His chin hit the chair's armrest.  Arms tucked to his chest behind his knees, he had somehow managed to curl his large, human body up into a comforting ball, resting his head on the armrest while his eyes stayed on the door that may as well have been an impenetrable, iron wall.  He glared at the door – it was keeping Nikko from him – and when it opened he lifted his head excitedly.

A dark-skinned old lady walked out with a younger version of herself on each arm, griping about how she could walk on her own while one of the youths grumbled "Gramma, please."

Knight's head dropped again.  It wasn't Nikko.

The next three times the door opened were the same.  Knight would sit up, excited, only to be disappointed when someone other than Nikko came out.  Eventually, he stopped getting excited.  His head stopped perking up, though his eyes stayed on the door.

It didn't escape his notice that everyone who came out was accompanied by other people.  Everyone else had 'immediate' family who weren't stuck sitting on a chair in the lobby.  Everyone else had someone to go to them and be by their side – a child, a brother, a wife.

Nikko would be back there alone, and it made Knight's heart hurt.  He wished he could be with Nikko when he was sick in the hospital.  He wished he could be 'immediate' family.

He wished he could marry Nikko.

Knight rubbed his face into the chair's armrest, the padded cloth absorbing the tears that had started to well, leaving behind dark gray spots.  But then he caught the sound of that horrible door opening again, and he peeked an eye up.

Alone, Nikko stepped carefully out the door.  He was awfully pale, dark circles staining under his eyes.  His nose was red and his lips chapped – he looked really cute.

Flinging himself out of the chair, Knight bounded over to Nikko, taking hold of his coat sleeve like an anchor.  He couldn't stop the tears that ran down his face.  "Nikko!  Are you okay!?"

"I'm fine," Nikko answered, voice weak.  "Just a bug."

"I was really worried."

Nikko smiled at that, and it made Knight feel worlds better.  "Thank you, but...  I'll be okay.  Don't cry."

Knight sniffled and wiped at his tears with his sleeve.  Then he smiled, both for Nikko's sake and because he was so relieved.  "I'm happy that you're okay."  He took Nikko's work bag and slung it over his own shoulders, doing what he could to help.  He had said he would take care of Nikko, so that's what he would do.  "Rita Johnson asked me to pick you up."

"Thank yo-"

Knight lifted Nikko off of his feet, cradling him in his arms.  Nikko was so light, he was easy to carry, until he started squirming weakly.

"Knight, what are you doing?"

"I'm picking you up."

"I don't think she meant literally."

"But Nikko is sick, right?"  He looked down at the tiny man in his arms.  "I'll take care of you."  And despite Nikko's moaning protests, Knight glanced a the girl behind the window, who was watching them with outright disgust on her face, then simply turned and walked out the door.

Once they were off the hospital's grounds, Nikko's protests stopped.  He became very still and quiet, and Knight thought he had fallen asleep, until he heard a whispered "Knight..."

"Hm?"  Knight looked to Nikko again.

"Please...  Not here...  I can walk, so please put me down."  His eyes were turned to the street, darting around.  "Please."

Because people would watch them.  Knight understood.  Probably... it was strange for adult men to carry each other around, so people would stare, and Nikko didn't like that.  Knight had been stupid for not thinking about that.  "I'm sorry, Nikko," Knight said as he carefully set Nikko down on his feet.  "But...  You looked very tired, so..."

"It's okay," Nikko replied as he held on to Knight's arm for a moment.  "Thank you for your concern, but...  I should be fine like this."

He wasn't fine, though.  They had only gone a short way before Nikko started leaning heavily on Knight, and they were less than half way home when Nikko stopped walking altogether.  He hunched over, pressing a hand to his chest, breathing in ragged gasps.  Knight's lip quivered, but he needed to be strong for Nikko.  So he took hold of Nikko's arm, to let him know he was there.  "Are you okay, Nikko?"

"I'm-"  He panted a breath.  "I'm so tired."

Knight whimpered.  He didn't know what to do, had no idea how to help or protect Nikko.  He felt absolutely useless, a pathetic knight who couldn't do anything.

After a moment, Nikko's head drooped.  "On your back..." he said quietly.  "Can you carry me on your back?"

"Of course!"  Knight quickly crouched down, a steed ready to be mounted.  "You can ride me anytime!"

"Please don't say it like that," Nikko said, even as he draped himself over Knight's back.  His arms went around Knight's neck and his legs slid around Knight's waist as he stood, and Knight reached back to support under Nikko's thighs.

"You're really light," Knight said with a smile.

"I know."  Then Nikko's head fell, burying his face in the space between his own arm and Knight's neck as they began to move again.

They had gone a few blocks silently, comfortably.  Knight didn't have any problems remembering the way, even if he had only travelled it once.  It was an easy route.  Then Knight opened his mouth, even as he wondered if Nikko had fallen asleep, and asked "Nikko, what's an 'emergency contact'?"

Nikko's head adjusted, resting his chin on Knight's shoulder.  "Mm...  It's just a person who gets called to help the person who needs them.  Most workplaces require them for their employees in case there's an accident or they get sick."  Even though Nikko didn't say 'like I did today', Knight understood.

"And I'm your emergency contact?"

"Yeah...  I changed it to you several months ago.  I... hope that's okay."

"It's okay!"  Knight's tail twitched, confined though it was in his pants.  "But... the girl at the hospital wouldn't let me go see you because I'm not immediate family.  I'm sorry."

"Don't worry about it," Nikko replied.  "You were there when I came out, and you're helping me now.  That's what matters."  His arms around Knight tightened a fraction, still weak, but it was enough to send Knight's heart soaring and his tail wiggling.  Until Nikko's head dropped again and he muttered "My _immediate_ family wouldn't have come for me anyway."

Knight's tail fell; the spring that had bloomed in his step withered.  Nikko never talked about his family, didn't display any pictures of family members around the apartment, never spent time on the phone catching up with anyone.  But every few months he would get an email that would make him sneer at the computer screen and mutter harshly under his breath.  Family was a bad topic for Nikko.

"Who's _my_ emergency contact?" Knight asked, wanting to give Nikko something else to think about.

It took a few beats, but Nikko's head shifted again.  "You don't exactly have a job," he said, voice clearing as he went.  "But _if_ you had an emergency contact...  I suppose it would be me.  Or maybe Jack."

"Who's Jack's emergency contact?"

Nikko chuckled weakly.  "I don't know.  Maybe it's you."

" _Me_?"

"I'm kidding," Nikko said, and Knight was happy to hear the amusement in his voice.  "Probably, it would be someone from within the facility."

"Who's Penny's emergency contact?"

"Maybe Ginger?"

"Who's Tina's emergency contact?"

" _Knight_."

" _Me_!?"

" _No_!"  Then Nikko started laughing.  His face pressed back into Knight's neck, but his shoulders convulsed with his giggles.  It lifted Knight's heart again.

Knight carried Nikko all the way up the stairs of their building, driving the man to cling to him, shaking.  Letting Nikko down at the apartment door, Knight fished his key out of his pants pocket.  Once inside, Nikko took his bag from Knight to find his phone, saying "I have to call work," as he headed toward the bedroom.  It was good, because Knight had totally forgotten about Rita Johnson's request to 'have Nikko call'.

After pulling his hat off, flicking his ears back and forth a bit to get rid of the stiffness that had set in from being trapped all day, Knight took a moment to let his tail out.  He didn't like having to hide his animal parts, though he understood why it was necessary.  It was just so uncomfortable.

Then he followed Nikko into the bedroom.  Nikko spoke on the phone with one hand and undressed himself with the other.  He had already managed to pull off his tie and unbutton the crisp, white dress shirt, and was wiggling his arm, trying to get the shirt to drop off his shoulder.  Knight rushed to him, ever helpful, and pulled the shirt off for him.  Nikko's eyes widened as he looked at Knight, his voice stuttering in its conversation.  But Knight wanted to help out more, so he grabbed the hem of Nikko's undershirt and lifted.  It got stuck at Nikko's elbows, Nikko making no move to allow it to be removed further as he continued to stare at Knight.

Knight smiled, gave the shirt a little tug, and finally Nikko complied, pulling the phone away from his ear for a moment to lift his arms.  Knight pulled the shirt off and Nikko went back to his call, shivering in the cool apartment.

Nikko's body was so much smaller than Knight's own, so skinny.  It made Knight want to protect him from all the bigger things that could harm him.  But a flu was very small, and there was nothing Knight could do to save Nikko from its clutches.  All he could do was make Nikko comfortable and do whatever he could to help.  So he moved on to Nikko's pants, barely getting the button undone before Nikko stepped away.  Knight pouted.

"Get my pajamas for me," Nikko said with the phone pulled away before returning to the call.

Knight felt better with a task to do.  Nikko's pajamas were always tossed unceremoniously onto an otherwise unused chair in the corner of the room, so Knight was easily able to fetch them and return to Nikko.  The call had been finished, and Nikko sat on the bed in his underwear, suit pants laid on the bed neatly.

"Here, Nikko."  Knight handed over the soft, flannel pajamas, and then took up the pieces of Nikko's suit to move them to the chair.

"Thanks," Nikko replied, immediately starting to dress.  "The school told me to take the rest of the week off so I don't get the kids sick."  He crawled into bed, pulled the covers over himself, and smiled up at Knight as the fox returned to Nikko's side.  "I guess you're stuck with me for a while."

Knight's tail wagged.  "I'm happy to be stuck with you."

Nikko sighed then, and his smile fell.  "Knight, I need a really big favor."

"I'll do anything!"

"First, could you get my bag for me?"

Knight chirped "Yes, Nikko!" before quickly bounding off.

When the bag was in his hands, Nikko pulled his wallet and a small square of paper from it.  "I need you to go to the pharmacy and get some medicine for me.  Can you do that?"

"I...  I think so."

"You can go to Corona Drugs, on the corner.  Do you remember where it is?  It's the place that sells the candy you like."

Knight knew the place.  It was the only store in the city that sold real chocolate-covered grasshoppers.  "I remember it."

"Go to the pharmacy counter in back and give them this."  Nikko handed over the white paper.  It had scribbles on it that Knight didn't understand.  "You'll have to wait a while, but they'll know what to do."

"Okay."

Next, Nikko took a card out of his wallet.  "This is my insurance card.  They'll need to see it."  He handed the card to Knight, and then pulled out some money.  "If you could also pick up some chicken soup, crackers, and chamomile tea, that would be great."  He smiled as he passed the money to Knight.  "You can get your candy, too."

Knight's tail wagged again, full of joy at being useful.  "Okay, Nikko!"

"Good boy.  If you need any help, just call."

"Yes!"

Knight put the money, card, and medicine paper into his new wallet and took a moment to stuff his tail back into his pants, then was on his way.  He was more used to being outside alone, so it wasn't nearly as scary as it once was.  The time he spent working with Roco, walking home alone five days a week, probably helped a lot.  These days he even sometimes went for walks during the day.  He could find the park on his own now, though if there were people around he couldn't play.  The one time he had tried to swing on the monkey bars alongside the kids, a mother yelled in his face that the playground was for children, and that "perverts" needed to be arrested.  The word 'arrested' scared him, so he didn't stay at the park if there were people around anymore.  He liked going with Nikko in the evening better anyway.

And now he was going to the pharmacy all by himself.  He felt so independent, so much closer to being human.

He followed Nikko's instructions once he got to Corona Drugs, going to the back counter that read 'Pharmacy' and handing the girl at the counter the paper and insurance card when it was his turn.  "I need this medicine for Nikko," he said.

"Are you his relative?" she asked in a kind voice.

Oh no, it was _this_ question again.  "I'm his family and we live together," Knight answered carefully.  "Nikko is sick, so I need medicine for him."

"Do you have I.D.?"

He did!  He happily took out his new I.D. card and handed it to the girl, who studied his card and the insurance card both before giving his card back.

"Okay," she said with a smile.  "Just a moment."

It took longer than Knight expected it would.  He listed from foot to foot for a while before pacing near the counter.  He was bored and wanted to be with Nikko.  What if Nikko got even sicker without the medicine?  Didn't the girl understand he had a flu?

He pounced on the counter when she called him back, hoping to hurry the transaction through, and when he had the medicine in hand he breezed through the rest of the store, getting the other items.  Then he _ran_ back home, plastic bag clutched tightly in his fist, and once he was in the door, he immediately rushed to Nikko's room.  "I got it, Nikko!  I got your medicine!"

Nikko cracked an eye open, looking like he had been sleeping.  His breathing was noisy, difficult, and he coughed as he sat up.  "Thanks," he said, reaching for the bag.

"Are you okay?" Knight asked, worry squeezing his heart tighter.  "You sound strange."

"When I lay down, my nose stuffs up and I can't breathe," Nikko explained, and then sniffled.  "Ugh, I need some tissue."

"Okay!"  Knight was ready to continue his caretaking.  "Do you want tea too?  Or soup?"

"That would be great," Nikko said with a smile as he opened the paper bag containing his medicine.

Knight felt like a nurse as he made the tea, humming to himself in the kitchen.  The tea smelled good, and he used Nikko's favorite mug to help cheer him up.  He grabbed a box of tissues from the living room coffee table and brought everything back to Nikko.  A red bottle sat on the nightstand – Knight guessed it was the medicine – and he put the tea and tissue-box next to it.

Already snuggled back under the covers, Nikko croaked out a "Thanks" and a weak smile.

Knight stared for a moment, brows knit together, and then he moved to the other side of the bed, crawling in under the covers, wiggling up next to Nikko.

"Knight!" Nikko objected, coughed.  "Knight, no.  You'll get sick."

"I won't.  I'm very strong," Knight replied as he pulled Nikko to him, tucking the man's head under his chin.  His freed tail thumped under the covers.  Nikko was warm – perhaps a little too warm – and his efforts to protest were weak, quickly given up.  "I want to protect Nikko."

Nikko sighed, but then said "There are some things you can't protect me from."

"I know."  He would try, though.  "Nikko?"

"Hm?"

"How did you get a flu?"

Though Nikko's voice sounded tired, there was a puff of a laugh before he answered.  "I probably caught it from one of the kids at school."

"Oh..."  It was silent a moment, then another "Nikko?"

"Yes?"

"When's your birthday?"  Knight was still curious about if the birthday listed on his I.D. was real or made-up, but surely Nikko's was real.

"It's in August," came the reply.

Knight gasped.  "We didn't celebrate!"

A sound came from Nikko, almost like a whimper, but not quite.  "It's not so special.  We don't need to celebrate it."

"But...  But in August, we should have a party!"

"No, Knight."  Nikko's voice went low.  It was sad, made Knight feel some kind of loneliness for him.  "I'm...  I'm too old to care about that kind of thing.  I don't want anyone to make a big deal out of it."

"Okay..."  But Knight thought it _was_ special.  Surely...  Surely Nikko being born was important.

Though, actually, no cards had come in the mail in August.  Wasn't that what humans did?  If their loved ones were far away, they sent cards in the mail for their birthdays.  None had come for Nikko, and though he hadn't said anything...  Nikko must have been sad.

"Nikko?"

Another sigh, then "Yes?"

"Are we family?"

Nikko's body went stiff.  Maybe it was a bad question – Knight knew family was a difficult subject.  Maybe Knight had been stupid again.  Eventually, however, Nikko slowly answered "I like to think we are.  We might not be blood related, but... you're very important to me.  I...  I care about you a lot."

Knight's heart burst.  Happiness and joy sent his tail into a tizzy, wagging out of control.  "I-!  I care for Nikko a lot too!  I want to be Nikko's family!"  His arms tightened around Nikko's tiny body, almost squeezing too hard.

"Okay," Nikko said with his exhausted amusement.  "Then we're family."

"I'm glad."  A smile took residence on Knight's lips; his tail continued to wag under the covers, and eventually calmed to a relaxed curling back and forth.  Nikko relaxed against him, filling Knight with warmth, making his tummy feel funny.  He yearned.  "Nikko?"

" _Knight_ , let me sleep."

"But, Nikko!  Can I kiss you?"

A whimper sounded form Nikko before he answered quietly, "You'll get sick..."

"I won't.  I promise."

"Then...  Just a little bit."

More happiness flooded through Knight, coursing through his veins, his heart, his lips.  He moved down so that he could be face-to-face with Nikko, close enough to see the flecks of green and fear in Nikko's brown eyes.  Knight wanted to chase the fear away; he wanted to protect Nikko, and he wanted Nikko to feel strong too.  He lifted a hand to brush against the short hairs of Nikko's 'undercut' behind his ear, then his fingers moved to dig into the longer hair up top.  They both seemed to lean in to each other at the same time.

Knight really liked kissing Nikko.  It made him feel warm, made his body feel tingly.  Nikko always tasted good and his lips were always soft.  Though right then Nikko tasted like medicine and his lips were dry, Knight still liked the kiss.  He opened his mouth to taste more – the lovers' kiss – and Nikko did too.  When their tongues touched, it felt like lightening running through his body, burning him in a way he craved.  When their mouths sealed against each other, Knight felt his genital – dormant for weeks – begin to stir.

He pulled away.  Nikko breathed heavily, reminding Knight that he was having trouble breathing through his nose.  His face was pink and his dark hair stuck to his forehead, matting wet with sweat.  Still cute.

But then Nikko's eyes turned down, pulling away.  His voice sounded pained, but not from the flu.  "I wonder... if that kiss means the same thing for you as it does for me..."

Knight felt his ears droop; sadness whispered through him.  "I wonder too!" he said.  "I wonder... what it means for Nikko..."

That was all they said, though.  No long explanations or revelations.  Knight lay back down on the bed and Nikko rested his head on Knight's shoulder.

To Knight, the kiss was a sign of how much he wanted to be with Nikko.  Like lovers – like husbands and wives – Knight wanted to be with Nikko forever.  He thought maybe all the sparks and tingles and pulling he felt when they kissed like that was his body and instincts telling him that he was supposed to be with Nikko.  Maybe.

But he was just a dumb fox; he didn't know if that was right or if it even made any sense.  He didn't know if it was different for everyone who shared that kiss.

"I wonder what it means for Roco and Wendy," he suddenly thought out loud.

A heartbeat passed, and then " _What_?"

Knight clamped a hand over his mouth, wide-eyed, just as Nikko sat up to look at him.  "Oh no!  I-  _Yiff_.  I wasn't supposed to tell!"

"Knight, what do you mean?"

"Nothing!"

"Tell me, _Knight_.  Did you see Roco and his teacher kissing?"  When Knight only stared, Nikko added "You can just shake your head; then you're not really _telling_ me.  Okay?"

Knight still felt bad, but he nodded.

"Did you see Roco and his teacher kissing?"

Knight nodded again.

"The open-mouth kiss?"

Another nod.

Nikko's brows drew together; his eyes swung back and forth, following staggering thoughts that Knight couldn't read.  He looked confused, a little bit panicked, and it scared Knight.  Maybe it was a bigger deal than he had thought.  Maybe Nikko understood something that Knight didn't.  Maybe whatever that was, it was the real reason Roco had gotten so angry at that time.

"Nikko..." Knight whispered.  "I don't understand."

Nikko's eyes turned down to Knight, and the fake smile he sometimes showed crossed his lips.  "No, it's nothing."  He lay back down, this time his head next to Knight's shoulder instead of on it.  "I was just surprised, that's all."

"Are...  Are Roco and Wendy in trouble?"

"N-No.  Not if nobody else finds out.  Don't let anyone else know, okay?  We'll keep their secret."

"Yes."  Just like Nikko and Knight had their own secret, and each time they kissed became a new secret.  "Nikko?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you go to sleep now?"

Nikko laughed softly.  "If a silly fox would let me."

"Okay."  Knight had many more questions, but they could wait until Nikko was healthy again.  Then they could talk about emergency contacts and flus and chocolate-covered grasshoppers. Maybe they could even talk about family and kissing.  Knight had so many things he wanted to talk about with Nikko, and he would do whatever it took to make sure they had the rest of forever together in order to do so.

He was so glad he chose to become human.


	18. Ascent

 

 

 

Nikko ran.

He was actually pretty quick, despite having such a short stride.  If the park he aimed for was further away, he would have taken a taxi.  After thinking about it, fixating on it, _obsessing_ over it for weeks, however, he realized he could make it there and back on foot before his lunch break was over if he hustled.  Hopefully, anyway, but he had spent so much time wondering if it were possible that before he knew it he had a real plan.  Before he knew it, he was carrying that plan out.

All he had to go on were the things Knight had told him offhand during his work experience.  He knew when they usually finished their park maintenance and which location was the last.  He knew Roco's teacher had always waited for them, in order to walk her student home.  If his calculations – guesses, really – were correct, he would hopefully be able to catch her before the wolf joined her.

He just...  He had to know.  He had to know if it was true, that there was someone else like him, someone who could fall in love with an animal hybrid.  Maybe nothing would come from it; he didn't expect an instant friendship or kinship, but just _knowing_ could perhaps help him feel a little less like a freak.

The tiny park was easy to find from the route he had basically memorized, and his eyes instantly began scanning the place.  He had a brief description of her from Knight's chatter – shorter than Nikko himself, red hair, "soft" – and his heart thumped in his chest when he saw the lone woman leaning against the park's storage shed, looking away towards a muddy path.

He had to beat back his nerves.  "H-Hi," he said as he approached her.

Her head shot towards him, startled, and a familiar fear crossed her green eyes.  Nikko knew that particular apprehension well.  Yet she answered a polite "H-Hello..."

"Are you Wendy?"

This time it was confusion in her eyes, creasing a line in her brow.  "Yes..." she answered carefully.

"I'm Nikko," he explained, and understanding dawned on Wendy even before he finished with "Knight's teacher."

"Oh," she said, friendly.  The kindness Knight had waxed about began to show itself as she let her guard down.  "How is he?"

"He's doing great."  Nikko smiled, but it didn't last long.  "Look, I...  I just wanted to ask you something..."

Her shields went back up, visible in the minute turning of her head and stiffening of her posture.  "Okay..."

"Knight... told me...  He said he saw... you and Roco..."  Even as Nikko stuttered, Wendy already began to step away from the shed, putting distance between them.  Fear ripped through her eyes, her face.  Then Nikko blurted out "He told me he saw you kissing."

Her head shook as she backed away from him.  "He's...  He's lying."

"He wouldn't lie to me.  Please-"

" _No_."

"I just want to know-"

"No!"  Tears began to pour down her face as she shouted suddenly.  "He's lying!"  Then she turned and ran, disappearing down the muddy path.

And that was that.  Nikko was left staring at where Wendy had vanished, her expression of terror forever burned in his mind.  Though it had absolutely confirmed her relationship with her student – she wouldn't have run if she had nothing to hide, and despite her claim, there was no way Knight would have lied about it – Nikko was left empty.  He had wanted to ask her things – how she had come to realize her feelings, how she dealt with it, what she planned to do when Roco eventually graduated and was returned to the facility.  Instead, he hadn't gotten to say anything at all.

In the very least, though, he now knew he wasn't alone.  Someone else felt for their student as he felt for Knight.  He wished he'd had a chance to tell her, so she knew she had an ally.  He wondered if there were others like them.

 

 

 

March came and went and within it Nikko and Knight celebrated the one-year anniversary of them coming together as teacher and student.  Nikko splurged and they went out for dinner at a fancy restaurant, and he quickly realized it was something of a waste.  Knight had no concept of fancy versus simple, and Nikko himself didn't care either way.  But it was fun to dress up, and seeing Knight in a suit did things to Nikko's body.

As they ate their overpriced and miniscule meal, a woman leaned towards them as she passed by, saying a quiet "Congratulations" as she went.  Knight tilted his head in confusion, but a blush colored over Nikko's cheeks.

It did feel like... maybe not a _wedding_ anniversary, but certainly like something more than simply having become roommates on that day, one year ago.  Knight had changed Nikko's world so dramatically, he couldn't remember what life was like before the fox came along.  And that feeling of romance – as one-sided as it may be – permeated through him so strongly that when they got home, when they shared a celebratory kiss that went too far and ended up with Nikko lying on his back on the couch, when Knight whimpered that he wanted to taste Nikko, Nikko allowed it.  He may very well have allowed Knight to do anything that evening, but Knight was perfectly content to lick and suck until Nikko was moaning his name.

Nikko woke up still on the couch the following morning, wanting to smack himself.  But the deep dread he used to feel – that he _should have_ felt – wasn't there.

 

 

 

Knight positively bounced with excitement the evening Nikko came home from his last day of work before spring break.  He followed Nikko throughout the apartment, calling "Nikko!  Nikko!  We're going on our trip, right!?  Nikko!  Let's pack!  Nikko!  Can I take my big book!?  Nikko!"

Nikko had to take Knight by the shoulders and force him into a chair to get the fox to stop moving.  "Calm down.  You're making me dizzy."  Though, when Knight smiled up at him, tail wagging, Nikko returned it.  "We don't leave for another two days.  Packing can wait."  Then his hand moved to Knight's hair, rubbing at one of those lovely fox ears he adored so much.  Knight leaned into the touch.  "Right now, I'm hungry.  What's for dinner?"

"Spaghetti!"

When they did pack for the trip, it was side-by-side, their matching, small suitcases laid open on Nikko's bed.  Nikko showed Knight how to pack so that everything fit nicely, though Nikko's tendency for the journey home at the end of a trip was to just throw everything back in haphazardly.

Nikko's motto was that it was better to have something and not need it than to need it and not have it, so they ended up with an extra bag of miscellaneous, just-in-case things – first-aid supplies, plastic bags, matches, as well as an extra SD card for his camera, and so on.  They also each took a small backpack to carry supplies in while hiking.

Knight really had planned the entire trip out.  From the taxi to the bus station and the bus to Vino Mountain's cabin lodge, everything was planned and paid for in advance.  He had worked really hard, and Nikko was both proud of him and appreciative of his thoughtfulness.

The cabin was small, but enough for two people.  It was like an open studio apartment, with a kitchen area in one corner and makeshift living room in another, complete with a fireplace.  There were two single beds, each on opposite sides of the room, and a door leading to a small bathroom.  Very quaint.

Nikko set his stuff down on one of the beds, remarking "It's going to get cold at night.  We can walk around a bit, but we should pick up some firewood at the lodge before it gets dark."

"Okay."

"Or would you like to eat first?"

Knight smiled.  "It's Nikko's choice, since this is your Christmas present."

Nikko's heart thudded, warm.  "Then, how about we go for a walk, look around, and then we'll have dinner at the lodge.  We can get snacks and groceries there for tomorrow."

"Yes, Nikko!"

The area around the cabin was beautiful, full of green and flowers just on the verge of blooming.  It was still cold, more shaded areas harboring the last clumps of snow, but birds and squirrels and spiders had already come out of their winter retreats, bringing life to the woods.  Nikko took pictures of everything, capturing images of the things he saw, which he would never show anyone.

They were the only ones around, still too early for most people to be hiking in the mountains.  It was their own private forest, and Knight was free to let his tail out.  They would have to pick burrs and twigs out of it later.  His ears flicked to and fro, as if trying to hear everything all at once.  A particularly loud bird cry grabbed his attention, his eyes and face turning up towards the treetops.  The light hit him perfectly, and Nikko raised his camera, taking Knight's picture.

It hit him that someday that picture would be all he had of Knight, and he vowed to make many more memories in the time they had together.

By the time they made it to the lodge, Nikko was starving.  They had walked for hours, both distracted by every little thing.  Knight had taken quite a few pictures on his phone, mostly of birds and bugs, and he was determined to reference his big book of everything that he had brought along and left at the cabin to figure out what every species he saw was.

They picked up some groceries to make their meals for the following day with, and Knight pouted when Nikko had to be the one to pay for them.  All of his money had gone into transportation and the cabin itself – he hadn't even thought about food.  Nikko assured him he didn't mind taking care of it, even if this was supposed to be his present.  He was more than happy just getting to spend the time with Knight.

They also got several bundles of wood for the fireplace, which were loaded onto Knight's back like a packhorse.  The owner of the cabin grounds even threw in an extra bundle for free, since guests were so rare this time of year.

Nikko wouldn't call himself a woodsman by any stretch.  No doubt, if he were ever actually lost in the woods, he would die very quickly.  But in the comfort of a rented cabin, with already cut firewood, some paper, and his matches, he could at least build a fire.  With the sun setting and no central heating in the cabin, the blaze sparked to life just in time to keep them from freezing solid.

Knight sat on a bed with his phone in one hand and his large book in his lap, comparing the image of a bright red bird he had seen to a page on North-Eastern mountain birds.  "I think it's this one," he said when Nikko sat next to him.

"Looks like it."  Nikko couldn't have wiped the smile off his face if he tried.  His fox was too cute when interested in something.  Knight was curious and clever, attractive qualities that belied his intelligence, even if that curiosity sometimes caused trouble.

"And this one is called a banana spider, but I don't think it looks like a banana."

Nikko chuckled.  "Maybe because it's as big as a banana."

"Maybe..."  Knight's brow creased in thought.

With a pat to Knight's leg, Nikko smiled deeper and asked "Do you want to help me make lunches for tomorrow?"

"Yes!"

Nikko couldn't help but feel oddly domestic as they made their lunches together.  It was dumb, because it wasn't like they never spent time alone together.  They were alone together all the time.  They cooked and ate together all the time.  They lived together... but there was something different.  There was something about their solitary cabin in the woods, away from work and people and facilities – away from the world where they were student and teacher – that was unlike the day-to-day life back home.  There was something magical here.

So, as a special treat to his chivalrous Knight, once the lunches were made and their backpacks were ready for the next day's heavy-duty hiking, Nikko browsed his phone's playlist, looking for a song.  The perfect song.  When he found one that fit – quite perfectly, indeed – he tapped 'play' and turned the volume up, then set the phone carefully on the counter.  He turned to Knight, extended a hand.  "Want to dance?"

"Really!?"  Knight's tail curled, excited.

"Yeah."  And Nikko's heart fluttered.  "There's...  There's plenty of room here."

Knight laughed, joyous, as he took Nikko's hand.  He wasn't any better at dancing now than he was in October, and he still didn't get the rhythm and beat of music.  Nikko had to lead their movements, twisting, turning, bringing them apart, then together.  It was fun, clumsy as it was.  Knight grinned brightly as his hand returned to Nikko's shoulder; Nikko's smile softened as he sang a line with the song.  " _And I'm out of my depth, I go under the wave_."  It sent Knight into a fit of happy laughter, scooping Nikko up and spinning him around, sweeping him off his feet.

When he was set back down, Knight leaned in and kissed Nikko, pressing their lips together hard.  Their dancing stopped; they simply stood in the middle of the room, holding each other and the embrace.  Then the song ended.

The next song that started up on the playlist shuffle was something dark, heavy metal, the angrier side of Nikko's myriad of musical tastes.  Completely un-danceable.  Their kiss broke off and they laughed.  Maybe because of the fire or because of the movement, maybe something else, but Nikko felt very warm, despite being in the mountains in April.

He ran a hand down Knight's chest, and then looked down, cheeks pink.  "We should get to bed so we can get an early start tomorrow."

"Okay, Nikko."  Knight's voice was soft.

After he had changed into his warmest pajamas and brushed his teeth to sparkling, Nikko put another log on the fire.  In theory, he should be snuggly and asleep long before the fire died out, but it wasn't a bad idea to keep the place as warm as possible for as long as he could.

He had only just begun to climb into his chosen bed when Knight lumbered over, smelling of mint and looking dangerously cute in his sheep-print flannel pajamas.  "Nikko, the bed is so small."

Nikko made a sound not quite like a sigh.  "There are two beds, Knight.  Sleep over there."

"But-"

"We're in the same room, so you can't say you're lonely."

Knight's ears drooped, but he gave a quiet "Okay..." and turned away.  "Goodnight."

"Good...  Goodnight."

 

 

 

He wasn't sure what time it was or how long he had slept; all he knew when he woke up was that it was _freezing_.  The fire had died out, leaving the room a dark cavern of ice, and despite the warm pajamas, wool socks, and two blankets, Nikko's feet were popsicles.  His body shivered hard enough to shake him out of sleep.

He tried ignoring it.  He tried closing his eyes and willing sleep to come back to him, to let him be comatose until the light of day warmed him again.  It was futile, of course, and even stuffing his fingers under his arms and curling in on himself didn't warm him enough to let rest come.

Hypocrite.  He was a hypocrite.  He was the one who sent Knight to the other side of the room, and now he was the one padding over to the second bed.  It was kind of selfish, on one hand, only offering to sleep together when he was the one who wanted to.  On the other hand, it was usually the other way around – Knight had been climbing into Nikko's bed from the very beginning, rarely giving Nikko a choice in the matter.

In the dark room of the cabin, Nikko could only make out rough shapes in silhouette, but he could hear the soft breaths of a sleeping fox.  He reached out, gently touching soft hair, and quietly called "Knight..."

The breaths stuttered; a furred ear flicked against Nikko's fingers.

"Knight," he said again.

Knight shifted, gave a small ' _yiff_ ' before the rustling sound of his body turning over.  Then his sleep-laden voice questioned "Nikko?"

"Knight, I'm really cold.  Can...  Can I sleep with you?"

Knight giggled, quiet and sleepy, then said "Of course, Nikko."  A large, black shield rose – Knight lifting his blankets to invite Nikko in.

Warmth began to seep into Nikko's body as soon as he was wrapped in the thermal embrace of Knight's arms.  Nestled together like Russian dolls, body heat from Knight's chest spread over Nikko's back and arms.  Knight's furry tail flopped over Nikko's thigh, and their legs entwined together, with Nikko's icy feet ending up under Knight's calves.  The bed was tiny, forcing them to crowd close, not even a breath of space between them, though they would have lain so tightly pressed to each other even if it had been king-sized.  For warmth, of course.

"I'm so happy," Knight said, arms tightening around Nikko's body.  "Nikko came to me."

"Yes, well...  It's cold."

Knight chuckled again.  "I like holding Nikko like this.  You feel so little."

"I'm not _that_ small."  Truthfully, though, it did make Nikko feel smaller, but he didn't hate it – not with Knight.

Knight only made quiet, happy sounds as he wrapped himself around Nikko further.  His tail curled against Nikko's leg and his hips pressed against Nikko's ass.  Nikko felt the bulge of Knight's dick rubbing against him, and he realized that Knight was hard, growing harder.  Knight began to squirm, the erection digging into Nikko with every movement, making Nikko's own cock stir.  Almost immediately, Knight bent down, pressing his nose to Nikko's neck.

"Nikko..."  Knight's hand slid down, ghosting over Nikko's dick, drawing out a gasp.  Then he unraveled himself, rising up to lay over Nikko.  "Nikko smells good."

"Knight...  Don't..."  So he said, but he made no move to stop it when the fox's mouth began to nuzzle its way along Nikko's collar bone, nor did he have any other protests when Knight's head slipped under the blankets.

He felt large hands on his hips, felt a perfect, handsome face snuggle into his groin.  Then, without further preamble – because Knight didn't know how to tease on purpose – Nikko's pajama pants were pulled down.  He gasped loudly when his erection was engulfed by that hot mouth; by now Knight had a much better idea of how to get him off.

He was helpless.  The lips sliding along his shaft, the tongue flicking along his tip, and the deep feelings of love and lust he felt for his lovely Knight left Nikko moaning and whimpering at the onslaught.  His hips thrust up; his body wanted to give Knight everything and more.  His hands clung for dear life to the pillow under his head.  He didn't stand a chance.

He came with a long cry, every nerve lit to bursting.  As always, Knight drank down every drop – his favorite treat – but now knew to pull off before Nikko became oversensitive.

Nikko panted, taking in deep breaths of air as his heart continued to race.  When Knight's head popped back up from under the covers, all Nikko could manage to say was a breathed "Why?"

"I'm sorry," Knight said as he hovered over Nikko.  "I...  I got hard..."

"You got hard, so you... you tasted me?"

"Yeah..."  Then Knight carefully lowered himself so that he was laying over Nikko like a living blanket.  His cock – still hard – rested against Nikko's leg.  "It makes me feel better."

Nikko sighed, body relaxing even as his mind began to churn.  "I think you're confused."

At least it was warm.


	19. Descent

 

 

 

Vino Mountain was gorgeous.

Knight and Nikko explored every nook and cranny of the mountain, following hiking trails that led them up and up.  Sometimes they went off the trails, pushing aside brush and branches to see what they could find.  They would spend an hour later picking twigs and burrs out of Knight's tail, but at the moment they didn't think about that.  Everything was new and wondrous.

The main trail had them climbing boulders at one point, and though Nikko was pretty weak, he could at least lift himself over the large rocks.  The exertion felt good, and though it only got colder the higher they went, Nikko found himself sweating.

Knight had no problems jumping from rock to rock, the shutter sound of his phone's camera an almost constant.  The ram in him showed itself well in his sure-footedness, his tail flagging for extra balance.  He looked as at-home in the mountains as he did curled up on the couch in their apartment.  Nikko couldn't stop smiling as Knight went into sneak mode to stalk a caterpillar.

They stopped for lunch after a few hours of hiking, sitting on the trunk of a fallen tree.  Knight watched in amazement as a family of deer passed by, then turned to Nikko with shining eyes.  "They're so cute!"

Nikko laughed.  "Yeah, they are."  But his gaze never left Knight's face.

The trek seemed to go quicker after lunch, both because of the energy food and a rest gave them, and because they had already taken pictures of everything there was to take pictures of.  The only thing left to do was continue onward and upward.

Pushing through some brush brought them face-to-face with a sheer rock wall, the barely-visible path veering to the right, going around the obstacle.  Nikko started to lead the way, but Knight grabbed his sleeve, pointing off to the left.  "Nikko, look!  There's a hole in the wall!"

"Looks like a cave," Nikko answered, finding where Knight was referring to.  Then he turned a smile to Knight.  "Want to check it out?"

"Yes!"

They climbed down a bit, through a tangle of trees with web-like branches.  A particularly vindictive branch slipped out of Nikko's grip when he tried pushing them aside, whipping back and lashing him in the face.  He yelped, more in shock than pain, and Knight was suddenly by his side.

"Nikko!  Are you okay!?"

"Yeah," Nikko replied, holding a hand to his cheek.  "It's just a scratch."  There was blood when he pulled his hand away.

"You're bleeding!"

"It's fine," Nikko assured his concerned fox.

Knight took Nikko's chin in his hand despite the assurances, turning Nikko's head to analyze the wound, as if he knew what to look for.  Then he leaned down and gently, carefully, licked the cut – an animal caring for its mate.  It stung a bit and Nikko flinched, but Knight kept at it, pressing Nikko against the wall beside them.  A few seconds – or maybe it was a few minutes – later, Knight pulled away and smiled.  "Okay, it's not bleeding now."

"Th-Thank you..."  Nikko had thought he was used to Knight's idiosyncrasies, but that one took him by surprise.  "Let's go."

"Yes!"

The cave was even colder than outside and pretty plain.  There were no magnificent stalactites or crystals.  No buried treasure or hidden artifacts.  The walls were covered in graffiti and the ground spattered with guano, which drew Nikko's eyes up to the ceiling.  A small smile touched his lips.  "Look."

"What are they?" Knight asked, gawking with saucer eyes at the black bundles hanging above.

"They're bats."

"Bats?"

"Yeah."  Nikko continued to smile at the sleeping creatures of the night.  He had never seen a bat at rest before, only ever catching rare glimpses of them flitting throughout the city.  He found them cute, never understanding why they had such a bad rap.  "They're rodents, like mice or rats, but..."  He paused for effect, and then said with hushed excitement.  "They can _fly_."

"Fly!?"

"Shh!"

It was too late, though; Knight's voice echoed throughout the cave, reverberating off the walls, through the air.  Disturbed, the bats began to unfurl their leather wings, dropped from the ceiling, and flew about the cave as if trying to get their bearings.  Nikko felt them brush against him, fluttering around like dark butterflies, and he laughed.  His eyes turned to Knight again, who watched in wonder as the bats swarmed him.  He looked like he was seeing fairies.

The bats seemed to think it was time to find a quieter resting place, and moved as one to swoop out of the cave, taking off and leaving the two men alone and bewildered.  Knight's jaw hung open, eyes wide, and Nikko could only laugh.

They headed back toward the main trail after exiting the cave.  Nikko took the lead, and this time was extra careful when passing through the thicker brush.  He roughly estimated that they would get to the mountain's peak in less than two hours, and looked forward to reaching that goal.

"Nikko!  Nikko, _help_!"

Nikko stopped in his tracks, instant fear gripping him in icy fingers when he heard Knight's distressed voice.  Whipping around, he followed the cry as his heart pounded.

That _damned_ tree had caught Knight, his horns stuck in the tangle of branches.  Each time he tugged, they only seemed to tighten around him, refusing to let his head free no matter how much he pulled.  And though there were tears in Knight's eyes, Nikko couldn't help but smile at his hopeless fox.

"Hold still," he said gently as he began working at untangling the wood from bone.  He had to stand on his tip-toes, stretching to reach Knight's head, but with a little care and patience, they were able to free Knight from the trap.  Knight looked at him like some kind of hero, but Nikko just turned back, cheeks going pink.  "Be careful..."

"Thank you, Nikko!"

The trees ended near the mountain's top, giving way to rocky gravel that was near impossible to get any decent footing on.  But they powered their way through, skidding to the top, helping each other in teamwork and laughter.  For every step they slid back, they advanced two, until they stood together at the peak with the world spread out before them.

It was beautiful.  Tracts of mountain and forest surrounded them; birds flew lower than they stood.  Nikko felt like he could see forever; the horizon must have been worlds away.  He was in Heaven.

Strong arms fell around him; Knight's chin rested on his head.  "We're really high up, aren't we?"

"Yes," Nikko answered.  "We're on top of the world."

A chuckle rumbled through Knight's chest into Nikko's body.  "Are you happy, Nikko?"

"I am."  Nikko reached a hand up to tangle his fingers with Knight's.  "I'm very happy."

Going down the mountain was far easier than going up, and took half the time and energy.  They let gravity do most of the work, hopping from one boulder to another.  Nikko's feet slipped and Knight caught him; Knight's tail caught on everything, and Nikko worked it free any time Knight couldn't do it himself.  They were a team.  They were partners.  They smiled the entire time, and were pleasantly and thoroughly exhausted by the time they made it back to the cabin.

It was hard for Nikko to decide what he wanted most when they were back in their temporary home – food, or a shower.  He opted for a shower, scrubbing himself down, washing away the dirt and soil of a good hike.  His muscles were sore – would be for days – and he spent a long time standing under the hot spray of water, letting the warmth ease his aching body.

Knight had dinner started when Nikko came out, three lumpy-looking hamburger patties roasting in a pan, a pot of tomato soup heating on the stove's second burner.  Nikko took over so that Knight could get in a shower of his own, and he called out "Use the conditioner on your tail" before the bathroom door closed.

Knight sang back "Okay," and then disappeared.  He rarely thought to condition his tail, only ever doing it at Nikko's suggestion.  It left the furry appendage softer than usual, the hairs becoming silk that took a great deal of restraint for Nikko to not bury his face in.

It took a long time, though, almost half an hour ticking by before the water was turned off.  The burgers and soup were long done, kept on low heat so they would stay warm, and a blazing fire burned in the fireplace.  Nikko began to dig around the cabin's cupboards for dishes, finally setting everything out as Knight emerged from the bathroom.  Laden heavy with water, the tip of his tail almost touched the floor, and dripped everywhere.

"Nikko!" Knight called cheerfully as he rubbed a towel over his head.  "I want to check my book!"

Grabbing his own towel, Nikko went to work at Knight's tail, trying to get it at least partially dry.  As expected, even after being washed, it was still infused with burrs, twigs, and leaves.  Next time they went hiking, they should probably consider covering or tucking the tail away.  "We'll eat first, then you can.  Okay?"

"Yes!"

They chatted about the hike as they ate, Knight going on and on about how fun it was and how much he really wanted to see bats again.  Nikko mostly just smiled at his cheerful fox, Knight's happiness seeping into him, warming his heart.  Once they were sated and cleaned up, Knight jumped for his book and phone, ready to continue his research.

"Let's sit in front of the fire," Nikko suggested, and Knight cheerfully complied.  Lying out on his stomach, propped up on his arms, Knight studied the pictures he had taken, finding their counterparts in his book, putting a name to all the new things he had seen.  He chattered at Nikko almost the whole time, usually thinking out loud, commenting on whether markings or wing shape or body size were the same as what he was looking at in his book, and sometimes other random thoughts that ran through his head.

Nikko sat behind Knight, taking a comb to the still-damp tail, picking out the sticks embedded within.  The conditioner had helped quite a bit, allowing most of the twigs to be pulled free easily from the strands of fur.  Some things were stuck more tightly and had to be worked out; the burrs pricked at Nikko's fingers, and a pinch of fear shocked through him when he found a tick matted in the hair, strangled to death before reaching its target.  He checked the tail thoroughly after that, making sure there were no other stowaways, and breathed a sigh of relief when there were none.

By the time he was finished, there was a pile of twigs and leaves off to the side.  The comb ran easily through Knight's tail, and Nikko allowed himself a moment of simply combing and running his fingers through the soft strands.  He hadn't even realized Knight had stopped talking until he looked up to see Knight's head down, resting on his folded arms, his book a rough pillow.  His eyes were closed; he looked incredibly peaceful.

Nikko smiled as he ran his fingers through silken strands again, and then whispered "I love your tail."

Knight's head lifted, half-turning to look back.  Nikko hadn't even realized he was awake.  Knight's eyes were wide and shining as he asked "Really?"

His hand paused, but in the end, Nikko didn't take it back.  "Yeah.  It's pretty."

"Thank you, Nikko!"

Faced with a smile so bright, a wave of affection crashed over Nikko.  He rose to his feet, gasping for air.  "I-  I'm going to get ready for bed."  Then he scurried away before a response could come.

He brushed his teeth slowly, completely overwhelmed.

When he came out of the bathroom, he found Knight had pulled both mattresses off the beds and laid them in front of the fireplace, making one larger bed.  It was just like his thoughtful, intelligent, adorable fox.

"This way we'll be warm!" Knight said.

Nikko smiled, even as his cheeks pinked.  Knight had every intention of them sleeping together; Nikko didn't even feel like arguing it.  "That's a good idea."  And as Knight slipped away to brush his own teeth, Nikko did some preliminary packing and set the alarm on his phone.  They wouldn't have time for hiking the next day, and that was okay.  He would be sore for days as it was, and he and Knight had...  Well, they still had a few years in which they could go again.

With the rest of the wood on the fire, Nikko snuggled under the covers and waited.  He felt nervous, as if they hadn't slept together a hundred times already – as if they hadn't shared a bed just last night.  And when Knight joined him, after flicking the cabin's lights off, leaving them bathed in the orange glow of the fire, Nikko said to him sincerely "Thank you, Knight.  This was the best present ever."

Perhaps it was the flickering fire, or perhaps those were tears in Knight's eyes.  The sudden hug was expected; the kiss was expected.  Their mouths opened together, tongues frolicking against each other.  When they finally pulled back, they were both blushing, and Knight said quietly "Nikko...  I feel funny."

"Funny?  Like how?"

"I don't know..."  His ears drooped, confusion drawn across his features.  "I feel like I want to be even closer to Nikko."

Nikko's heart clenched so hard, it was painful.  If Knight were human, he would guess that feeling was love.  Romantic love.  But that wasn't something an animal was capable of, and Knight was an animal.  "Probably, it's because..."  He didn't really know what to say.  "Because we're good friends."

Knight's eyes turned away.  He didn't look convinced, but he didn't say anything.  The cabin was mostly silent for a while, the occasional popping of the fire the only sound, and then Knight's hand came up to tug at Nikko's pajama top.  "Nikko...  Can I taste you?"  He had already started to rise up, hand sliding towards Nikko's pants.

"Knight, we...  We shouldn't..."  Those words had become meaningless by now.

"It will be our secret," Knight said as he tugged Nikko's pants and underwear down.  He pressed a kiss to Nikko's hip bone, just above the patch of dark hair.  "Nobody will know."  Then he took Nikko's quickly hardening erection in hand, delivering a long lick from base to tip.

Nikko moaned, not even bothering to hold his voice back.  Here, in this world of their own, he let loose, using his moans, his gasps, his loud, panting breaths to tell Knight just how good it felt.  When Knight's mouth swallowed him down, Nikko's hands went to his head, sliding along soft fox ears, gripping caramel hair.  Then he pushed Knight back a bit, slipping a hand down to touch himself, going further back to cup his balls.  "Here, too," he gasped.  "It'll feel good if you touch me here."

Knight chuckled.  He was a quick learner, pushing Nikko's hand away, letting his own fingers take its place.  His mouth went back to work, licking, sucking, while his hand kneaded Nikko's balls.

_God_ , it felt so good.  Nikko's hands went back to Knight's head, hips thrusting to fuck up into Knight's mouth.  Knight's name was repetitious on his lips, crying out how good it was, pleading for more.  The tidal wave of pleasure swelled, riding higher and higher, and then it crashed.

Nikko screamed.  His back lifted from the makeshift bed as he came hard, holding Knight's head to him.  Stream after stream of seed poured from him, his balls emptying themselves completely into Knight's mouth, and it was only when he was totally spent that his body crashed back down to the bed.

Knight pulled off, took one last lick to gather escaped drops, then crawled back up to lay at Nikko's side.  "Nikko tastes good," he said in a low voice as he wrapped himself around Nikko.  His obvious and heavy erection poked against Nikko's side.

Nikko overwhelmingly wanted to return the pleasure, for real.  Here, in this place – this romantic little world of theirs – he wanted to repay Knight's thoughtfulness.  He wanted to show Knight his feelings.  Even if it was wrong, even if it was against the rules, it would be another secret for them to keep.  So, in an unsure whisper, Nikko said "You can... put it in me.  Knight..."  He clenched his eyes shut.  "Let's-  Let's do it.  I want you."  He was scared, but he said it, and he was ready for the consequences.

No reply came from Knight.  The cabin remained silent for a length of time, and finally Nikko cracked open an eye and looked over at Knight.

The fox was sleeping.  A silly, pleased smile curled on his lips; his chest heaved slowly with deep breaths of slumber.  He hadn't heard a thing.

Nikko couldn't decide if it was a good thing or not.

 

 

 

It was definitely a good thing.

When he awoke to his singing phone, sunlight streaming through the cabin's windows, Nikko immediately smacked himself – both mentally and physically – at what he had almost done.  The solitude of the mountain had gotten to him; the orange glow of fire light had made him forget that Knight was his student and an animal.  The new surroundings had tricked him into thinking they were a _couple_ , or something, instead of a human and his science experiment.

It would have messed Knight up, confused him.

Nikko stretched for the phone, swiping to turn the alarm off, and Knight stole the chance to wrap his arms around Nikko's body.  "Good morning, Nikko!" Knight chirped, happy as a clam, completely oblivious to Nikko's torment.

"Good morning," Nikko returned the greeting, petting Knight like a pup.  "Did you sleep well?"

"Yes!  I dreamt about bats!"

Nikko forced a smile.  "Sounds exciting."

It was late afternoon or early evening when they arrived back in the real world.  The sun was still out when they began to ascend the steps to their apartment building, but just barely.

Nikko stopped dead in his tracks, heart and mind frozen, when he saw Jack waiting by his apartment door.

This was it.  It was official.  Those long rabbit ears, folded as they were, had heard everything that had happened the night before.  They had heard the magnificent blow job, heard Nikko announce that he was willing to let a fox fuck him, and now Knight would be taken away from him.

He wasn't ready.  He wasn't ready for the consequences at all.

"Jack!" Knight greeted with a smile, unsuspicious.

"Good evening," Jack replied, polite smile in place.  "What have you boys been up to?"

"We were on a trip!"

"Just up to Vino Mountain," Nikko added, trying to keep his nerves in check.  The large dog-man standing just behind Jack with his hands folded over his chest didn't help.  Pricked ears stood straight up from close-cropped black hair, two blond spots in front, eyes that looked ready to tear someone apart.  Doberman.  "We-  We didn't leave the province or anything."

"You must have enjoyed yourselves."  Jack's statement sounded innocent enough – Nikko couldn't tell if it truly was or not.  "I'm sorry to drop in like this, but there is a matter I wish to discuss with you, if you have the time."

"S-Sure," Nikko said, reaching for his keys.  "Come on in."

He flicked on lights as they entered the apartment.  Knight excitedly told Jack all about their trip.  "We saw deer and wagtails and bats!"

"Really?" Jack replied, indulgent.

"Yes!  Did you know bats are rodents, like mice?  But they can fly!  Nikko told me that."  Knight's exuberance was contagious – Nikko was pretty sure even the doberman's lip twitched up, just barely.

"Sounds like it was an educational experience."

"It was!  I looked up all the animals in the big book Nikko gave me!  Look!"  Knight dropped his suitcase on the living room floor, digging into it for his book.

Jack's strange, red eyes turned to Nikko, searching for something, though his polite smile didn't falter.  When Knight held up the book with a sound of triumph, Jack's gaze moved back to him, smile deepening a touch.  "Wow; that _is_ a big book."

"Yeah!"  Knight flipped to some of the pages he had marked off during his research.  "We saw these, and these!  And these too, but I still don't think they look like bananas."

A chuckle sounded from Jack.  "I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves."  Then he clasped his hands in front of him.  "Well, then.  If I may...?"

"Of course," Nikko responded.  "Have a seat.  Would you like something to drink?  Tea?  Coffee?  ...  Carrot juice?"

Making no move toward the offered seat, smile perfectly in place, Jack replied "No, thank you."

"How about...  Ah...  Your friend?"

"He's fine."  Jack didn't even spare a glance at the intimidating dog standing just behind him, and Nikko had to wonder what exactly the doberman's purpose was.  Was he there simply to scare Nikko into submission or in case Nikko tried to put up a fight if they really were there to take Knight away?  Or maybe he was Jack's bodyguard, protecting the rabbit from perverts who might want a piece of that cotton-tail.  Without addressing it further, Jack said "There's been a potential incident, and I just wanted some information."

"What kind of incident?" Nikko asked slowly.

"One of our students and his teacher have disappeared.  We would like to find them."

Nikko's heart pounded.  This couldn't be good.

Eyes lifting, Jack addressed Knight.  "Do you remember Roco, from your work experience?"

Knight moved, hands coming to grip Nikko's arm, seeking comfort.  His voice had lost its cheer as he replied "Y-Yes...  Roco is... missing?"

"Yes, and though I know it's been a while, you are actually the last person to have seen him, Knight."  Then his gaze dipped, glancing to where Knight held on to Nikko before coming back up.  It was a quick movement, but Nikko caught it nonetheless.  "Actually, I'd like to speak to Knight privately, if I may."

His polite bid for permission was a farce.  Jack was a representative of the company, and the company owned Knight.  Jack would speak with Knight privately if he damn well pleased, but Nikko played along anyway, saying "Sure, no problem."

Jack's smile turned up again, still lacking sincerity.  "Then, Knight, why don't you show me your bedroom?"

"Okay..." Knight replied, and then stepped from Nikko's side to lead the way.  "It's over here."

Nikko was left alone with the doberman.  "Would you... like some water?"

The dog only stared at him with intense brown eyes, until Nikko slowly side-stepped his way over to the couch and sat down on the very edge.  He didn't dare move a muscle from that spot.

It didn't take all that long.  Eventually, Knight appeared in the hallway entrance, brows knit together and voice low.  "Nikko, Jack wants to talk to you now."

Nikko stood from his spot on the couch, trying to be as un-obvious as possible as he skirted around the silent, canine sentry.  "All right," he said, and then put a hand on Knight's arm as he passed by.  "It'll be all right."

Jack was perched dainty on Knight's bed when Nikko went into the room, and gave a welcoming smile.  "Come in; have a seat," he said like this were his apartment instead of Nikko's.  And as Nikko moved to sit in the computer chair leftover from when the room had been his office, Jack continued with "I do apologize, again, for the intrusion."

"It's fine," Nikko returned carefully.  "I just hope you weren't left waiting for long."

"Not too long."  Jack smiled, showing off his slightly buck teeth.  "And it was my own fault besides.  I should have called first."  He sighed then, giving a tired look that made Nikko drop his guard the tiniest bit.  "Honestly, this whole situation has me rather stressed out.  As the chief coordinator, it's my responsibility to find the missing student, but this is the first time anything like this has happened, and I really don't like working with no precedents or guides to follow."

"It must be hard on you..."

"Yes, it is.  And so, any information you can give me would be very helpful.  Anything at all."

Nikko's heart thudded again.  "I... don't really know anything about them."

"Have you ever met Roco or his teacher?"

"I saw Roco every morning.  I dropped Knight off during his work program, just because it was on my way to work, so I _saw_ Roco, but I never met him or talked to him.  And I never even saw his teacher."  He would lie through his teeth if he had to, to protect his own secret as much as Wendy's.

"Did Knight ever mention them, even in passing?"

"Yes, he talked about them sometimes, but... nothing really important."

"Anything is fine," Jack prompted.  "Tell me everything he said, even the trifle things."

Truthfully, other than the slip about them kissing, Knight really hadn't said anything special about either of them.  Most of what he said was just anecdotes of what happened each day while he worked.  "He said Roco is very quiet and straightforward," Nikko answered.  "He said he worried about whether or not Roco and his teacher got along, and that Roco didn't like her cooking.  He said that Roco was very good at park maintenance and was good at teaching Knight about it."  He shrugged then.

"And about the teacher?"

"Mmm...  Knight just said that her name was Wendy and that she was even shorter than me.  He said she was nice and..."  He felt his face go pink.  "And he said she had a soft body."

"But you never met her?"

Another heart-thud.  "No, I only went in the mornings and she only went in the afternoons.  I don't think I ever even saw her at any of the social gatherings."

"Ah, they stopped coming to picnics a couple years ago."

"Oh..."

Jack fixed him with a gaze.  A year ago, those red eyes might have unnerved Nikko, but after spending all this time staring into Knight's just-as-strange yellow eyes, they didn't seem so striking anymore.  "Sometimes teachers get too attached to their students, and don't want them to graduate.  Generally when that happens, one of the first things they do is cease contact with the company, assuming if we can't see the students and judge their progress, we're more likely to believe they're not ready.  Though we've never had anyone flat-out disappear before, I suppose it's a possibility this is an extension of that.  What do you think?"

"I...  I really don't know.  I don't know anything about Roco's progress or their relationship."

"If you had to guess, what would you say could be cause for their disappearance?"

"A-Anything is possible," Nikko stuttered, anxiety flaring.  He felt like he was being trapped, caged by words trying to rip some kind of confession out of him.  "Maybe Wendy had a family emergency and took Roco with her and just forgot to check in with you.  Maybe they were killed in a mugging attempt.  I-  I don't _know_.  I've _never_ even _met_ them."

The room went quiet, Nikko's words a silent echo.

Then Jack stood up.  "Well, then."  His smile was back in place.  "Thank you for your time.  If you can think of anything that might help, please let me know."  He started to turn then, but paused.  His head moved slightly as his eyes seemed to look around the room as though seeing it for the first time just then.  "This room is very clean."

Nikko's heart twisted; he felt sick.  "Y-Yeah.  I make sure Knight keeps it tidy."

"Indeed."  Jack's eyes sidelined, glancing at the head of the bed.  "There isn't even a single hair on the pillow."


	20. Judge, Jury, and Bishop

 

 

 

He was guilty.  The number of charges that should have been laid upon him continued to climb, as he hurt everyone he came into contact with out of his own selfishness.

His premier victim was Knight.  After taking in the fox to alleviate his own loneliness, Nikko seemed to immediately set to confusing him, always cold and hot, indecisive.  One moment he was telling Knight they _shouldn't_ – shouldn't sleep together, shouldn't kiss, shouldn't have any sexual contact – the next he was being an active participant in their hands and mouths roaming all over each other.  He had even gone so far as to teach Knight how to pleasure him even more.  It was no wonder Knight had come to think it was okay, that as long as they kept it a secret they could repeatedly break a rule that could tear them apart.  It was all Nikko's fault – everything was.

His newest victims were Wendy and Roco, for there was no doubt it was Nikko suddenly confronting her that made them flee.  He had scared her – terrified her – because if one person found out, who else would?  She didn't know him, didn't know if he were the gossiping type who would love to dish the info to others, or the malicious type, there to rip on her for having a relationship with an animal.  If he could re-do that afternoon, he would have started it better, announcing first that he was like her, and had no intention of revealing what he knew.  Or maybe in the re-do he would just stay in his fucking classroom and leave her be.  Instead, he had said the worst thing, and now she was on the run.

He knew his life was one mistake after another, yet if he were brought before a judge and jury, he would plead not guilty, because he was absolutely not strong enough to face the punishment.

Jack's words had frightened him.

While at the time he played it off perfectly, saying they had changed the sheets on Knight's bed just before they left on their trip, so that he could come home to a clean room, it had scared Nikko to the core.  All of his mistakes hit him at once, and he could already feel himself pull away.

He couldn't continue playing with fire, even if Knight's fire burned him the exact way he needed.

He couldn't push Knight away like he had before; he had already learned from that mistake.  He had said Knight could come to his room and sleep with him at night if he got lonely, and he held to that, but he had to squash the habit Knight had gotten into of automatically going straight to Nikko's room at bedtime.  He reminded Knight, strictly, to at least try to sleep in his own room.

There were other little things Nikko held to in his attempt to put their relationship back to proper.  Closed-mouth kisses were okay; open-mouth ones were not.  The first time Knight tried and failed to deepen a kiss, lapping at Nikko's lips uselessly, he got mad, asking why it was okay before but not now.

"It wasn't okay before," Nikko had told him, then reminded him of the rules again, reminded him of how Knight got hard when they kissed like that, which made them break that important rule.

"But, if it's a secret-!"

"If it has to be a secret, then it's not okay."

That day, Knight stormed off to his bedroom in a huff.  He still slipped into Nikko's bed at night, though.

Snuggling on the couch was fine; running fingers through a soft, caramel tail was fine; tugging affectionately on long locks of hair was fine.  Blow-jobs were not fine.  It caused a slightly bigger problem, as somehow his confused fox really was deriving satisfaction from getting Nikko off, and being denied that satisfaction left Knight frustrated again.  He became grumpy, like a moody teenager, quick to anger and snap when he was annoyed.

At first, Knight tried to coerce Nikko into giving in, dropping to his knees while Nikko washed dishes, sliding his hands up Nikko's leg when going over his homework, pressing against Nikko and rubbing their bodies together in bed.  Each time, Nikko was able to push Knight away, which was easier to do when he remembered the suspicion in Jack's voice noting how unused Knight's room looked.  The one time Knight tried to do it while Nikko slept was the one time Nikko really did kick him out of the room for a night.

Knight apologized the following morning.

Socializing was out of the question.  Knight had already said he didn't want to try anymore, so Nikko wouldn't suggest it again.  It probably wouldn't have worked anyway, as stuck on Nikko as Knight was.

The most effective tactic Knight tried was sprawling out on the couch bare naked, save for the necklace he had received for Christmas.  His tail was flopped over his hip to cover his dick in a coy fashion, putting himself on display.  The clever fox had finally figured out that Nikko was attracted to his body, and seeing all that toned flesh laid out and waiting for him had Nikko's cock begging to break the rules again.

Instead, Nikko stuttered "I- I have a meeting after work today, so I'll be home late.  You can eat dinner without me."  Then he dashed out the door.

He didn't have any extra meetings that day, but he needed to get away from Knight for a while.  He loved Knight with all his heart, but he wanted at least a few hours to himself, to sit and think and not have to fend off an overly amorous fox.  So he lingered at his desk long after the last bell had rung, catching up and getting ahead on every bit of work he could, which wasn't much, considering the school year ended in just a few weeks.

He would have to figure out what to do about Knight before summer vacation started.

The last remnants of his Starbucks cup had gone cold ages ago, but Nikko continued to linger longer.  He had hit up the café to further prolong his alone time, but he was starting to feel like a nuisance, like the staff would start subtly hinting with their eyes that he was creeping them out if he didn't get going soon.  His mind was blank, though, not a single idea coming to him, and he was reluctant to leave empty-headed.

Heavy hands fell over his eyes, blackening his vision.  No "Guess who?" was forthcoming – the mystery person not wanting to give themselves away with a voice – but a nostalgic scent hit Nikko's nose.  He pulled away and turned to face his attacker.

Axinite eyes smiled at him.  A perfect smile gleamed.  A honey voice said "Hey."

"Darryl," Nikko said as he stood to greet the other man, but then he froze.

Darryl was the one who told him.  A little random tidbit of information that answered some of Nikko's questions and gave him an idea at last.

He grabbed Darryl's arm.  "You're brilliant!"  Then he let go to scramble for his bag and garbage.

"Nikko?"  Darryl's expression was confused, yet familiar.  "Are you okay?"

Nikko spread his arms out wide.  "I just got my worst idea yet."  Then he bolted out the door.

 

 

 

The small room was the same as it had been over a year ago.  Even the potted plant was the exact same, making Nikko wonder if it was fake.

The biggest difference was that this time Nikko knew what he was getting into.  Probably.

Knight sat by his side as they waited for Jack – that was a difference too.  It had taken a bit of convincing to get Knight to agree to the idea, and he absolutely needed Knight's help to pull it off.  The fox had pouted when Nikko told him he was thinking about taking on another student, asking if he wasn't good enough.

"It's not to replace you," Nikko had said, taking Knight's hand.  "It's _for_ you.  I worry about you getting lonely, sitting around here by yourself all the time.  If we had another student around, you would have someone to talk to and play with."

"I don't get lonely," Knight sulked.  "As long as I know Nikko is coming home, I'm never lonely.  And summer is coming..."

"Ah, about that..."  Nikko glanced away, unable to hold Knight's gaze.  "At work...  I've been told I'll have to teach summer classes this year."  Or rather, he would go in and volunteer for it tomorrow.  He could use the extra money anyway.  "So, I won't be around so much like I was last year."

Knight's frown deepened, even as his lip quivered.  "That's stupid.  You're supposed to get summers off."

"I know.  That's why I'm worried about you.  It would make me so much happier knowing you weren't lonely."

"It... would?"

"Of course.  If I'm worried about you, I'm sad, but if I know you're having fun with a new friend, I'm happy."

Knight's tail began to curl slightly, considering.  "I want Nikko to be happy..."

"Knight being not alone makes me happy."  Nikko smiled.  "And, hey, you could help take care of the new student.  You would be like a tutor or a big brother."

"Really?"

"Yeah.  I think you would be a great brother."

Knight's tail wagged.  "I would?"

"Yep."

Then, finally, Knight smiled.  "Okay, let's do it!"

Darryl had said, as he spouted off the things he had learned for Nikko's sake, that fennecs mate for life.  It explained why Knight was so attached to Nikko – he was seeing Nikko as his mate.  And why wouldn't he?  They were always together, lived and ate together, made the once-empty apartment a _home_ together.  They kissed, they slept together, they were family.  They may as well have been married.

But they weren't, and they never could be, heartbreaking as it was.  And having his 'mate' suddenly pulling away was hurting Knight – _again_ – something Nikko never wanted to do.

If – _If_ – there were someone else around, another student to live with and focus on, perhaps that would change Knight's feelings.  Diversion.  Maybe Knight would take a new, more appropriate mate.

And Nikko would be left alone.

But maybe – or so Nikko continued to tell himself – it was better to watch Knight be happy with someone else than to lose him altogether.

So they headed to the facility as soon as the weekend hit.  Jack wasn't there to greet them, but the girl who was said he was in the building and she would fetch him.  They were put in the barely familiar waiting room, and Nikko took a moment to squeeze Knight's hand after the door was closed.

Jack was either very busy or liked making Nikko wait, as it seemed to take an eternity for a knock to sound and then the white rabbit appeared.  Nikko stood to greet him, with Knight following, and once the typical pleasantries were out of the way, Jack asked "So, to what do I owe this visit?"

"We were... interested in taking on another student, if possible."

A fine, white brow rose curiously.  "Is that so?"

"Yeah..."

"Most teachers don't take on additional students until they've been in the program for several years.  You've just barely been around for one."

"I know, but..."  Nikko's hands fiddled with the cuffs of his jacket, pulling at a stray thread.  "As you know, unlike most other teachers, I don't own my own business or work freelance.  I can't be home quite as often, and it's not going to get any better this summer, as I'll have summer school classes.  I've... been worried about Knight being lonely."

Jack's brows furrowed.  His soft spot for Knight was definitely where Nikko needed to aim.  "Can you afford another student?"

"Yes, I can.  That was one of the first things I considered, and it shouldn't be a problem."  He would just have to be a little more careful with his budgeting; fewer trips to Starbucks, more walking instead of taking the bus, a new computer could wait until next year.

Then Jack looked to Knight.  "Is this something you want?"

"Yes!"  Knight was more cheerful than he had been in weeks.  "I want to be a big brother!"

Jack's lip quirked up.  "All right, then."

And Nikko breathed a sigh of relief.  "Thank you."

"However."

It figured.  "However?" Nikko echoed.

"You may have to wait.  The only students we have here currently are some wolves, so unless you would take one of them, the only other option would be to find someone in another district."

"Oh..."  Well, it shouldn't take too long.  A few extra days or weeks weren't such a big deal.  Yet, surprisingly, it was Knight who looked down about it.  He pouted, ears going flat.  He looked like he might cry, and Nikko thought perhaps he had gotten Knight a little too excited about being a 'big brother'.  "I suppose..." he began, against his better judgment.  "A wolf might be okay..."

" _No_ ," Knight snipped, making even Jack raise a brow.  "Wolves are stupid, and Nikko is scared of them."

Nikko and Jack looked at each other, and Nikko only shrugged.  He had promised he wouldn't report Gus for his little feral slip, so kept his mouth shut about the comment, saying only "It's true that wolves can be... intimidating."

Jack gave a tiny sigh, but was silent for a long time.  He seemed to be thinking, eyes locked onto a random spot on the wall.  Whatever it was, Nikko didn't deign to interrupt his thoughts, simply waiting for a conclusion.  Then, eventually, Jack's focus returned to Knight and Nikko.  "There is... one other option, if you really want to take someone home today."

"Yes!?  Yes!?"  Knight sat up straighter, more into the idea now than Nikko, which was a good sign.  Hopefully his enthusiasm for the new family member would only grow.

"I'm... not supposed to do this," Jack continued.  "But we recently had a batch of dogs arrive.  Puppies, really.  They're still quite young and not technically ready to go just yet."

Nikko's brows drew together.  "Are they... babies?"  That wouldn't do at all.

"Oh, no," Jack answered.  "All of the students' bodies are equivalent to human teenagers before they leave the laboratories.  It's just... they haven't had any experience with the human world.  Usually we do preliminary training, teaching them the things that are likely to frighten them, so that they don't go into shock or lash out, but these ones haven't had any of that yet.  It could be risky."

"Do...  Do they bite?"

"I can't guarantee that they won't."

Knight spoke up then, a determination in his eyes.  "I can do it."

Nikko said a simple, questioning "Knight?"

"I remember going through the training.  I can teach them.  And...  And if they bite me, it's okay."

Jack smiled despite the strange situation.  Not even a professional business rabbit could resist how cute Knight could be when determined.  "I would prefer if you didn't get bitten, but I do believe you could do it.  In fact, I'm now curious to see you try."  His smile deepened and he nodded.  "All right, then I will pull some favors and set you up with someone."

"Thank you, Jack!"  Knight was radiant.

"One moment, please."

Before Jack could disappear, however, Nikko stopped him with an "Ah-"  And when Jack turned back to him, Nikko said "We'd prefer a male, if possible."  It sounded _wrong_ to him, but Knight got along better with boys – he was certainly very interested in Nikko's dick – so a girl wouldn't work for this idea.  "I mean...  Since we're both guys, it might be awkward for a girl, and the students will have to share a room..."  Still sounded wrong.

But Jack only smiled.  "I'll see what I can do."  Then he disappeared again.

Knight immediately turned to Nikko, face a portrait of glee.  It was good to see him in high spirits again.  If nothing else, this idea was keeping his mind off his erections for a while.  "We did it!  We convinced Jack!"

Nikko chuckled.  "It was because of you.  And now you'll get to be a brother."

"Y-Yeah..."  Knight's excitement died down by measures.

"Knight?"  Nikko reached to take Knight's hand.  "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but..."  He paused a moment; Nikko waited.  "But more than becoming a brother...  I feel like Nikko and I are... having a baby."

Nikko's face went bright pink and he started choking on nothing.  A coughing fit prevented him from responding right away, which was good, because he really didn't know how to reply to that.  It gave away why Knight was really so excited, but was the complete opposite of what this plan was supposed to do.

Knight began patting Nikko's back, asking "Is Nikko okay?"

"Yeah," Nikko answered, clearing his throat one last time.  "Just swallowed some spit wrong."

"Should I do CPR?"

Nikko laughed.  "No, it's okay.  I'm not dying and you don't know how anyway."  He smiled, and Knight did too.  "But, Knight..."  Then Nikko got a little more serious.  "This new student...  He won't be lower than you."

"Lower?"

"I mean, of course you can help him when he needs it and take care of him if he has trouble, but you're both still students.  He won't be a baby and you won't be allowed to tell him what to do or punish him.  That will be left to me.  Okay?"

Knight's ears drooped, but he nodded.  "I understand..."

"But he will be your friend and companion, someone to play with."  Nikko turned his smile up a notch.

Another nod, and Knight's smile deepened too.

They continued to talk, deciding how Knight's room could be re-arranged to fit another bed – the desk would have to be moved to Nikko's room – and plotting out new study schedules.  Even small stuff, like who would sit where at the kitchen table and a reminder that an extra set of dishes would need to be picked up, was discussed, making conversation until Jack came back.  Nikko loved talking with Knight, and he quietly sent a wish that that never changed despite the new addition they were about to get.

A century later, there was a knock at the door, and Nikko's heart leapt into his throat, anxious to know all about his new family member.

Jack came in with a small young man leaning against him.  Still taller than Nikko, of course, but at least a head shorter than Knight and quite slender.  His hair was a glossy jet black and was combed forward to cover the right half of his face, making Nikko wonder if it was styled to hide something.  He had black, folded ears on top of his head that were beyond adorable, and his tail was long, as fluffy as Knight's, and also mostly black, with a stripe of tan along the underside.

He also had most of his visible face buried into Jack's shoulder, eyes closed.  He looked dead.

"Is he... okay?" Nikko asked.

"They're very sleepy at this stage, still adjusting to the new body.  He will probably spend the first few days sleeping, so you'll have to wake him to make sure he eats."

Nikko nodded.  It was interesting, made him wish he could learn more about the process.  All he said, though, was "I see."

"This is 047C-TCS08-D.  He is a tri-color sheltie, pure-bred."  Then Jack smiled.  "Not that you require pedigree."

Nikko smiled back.  "Character is more important than pedigree."

"Well..."  Jack shifted, pulling the pup to stand upright.  The poor little guy's head flopped forward, still fast asleep.  "Unfortunately, since he's still so new, we don't yet know what his personality is like.  He has been rather calm during feeding times, but I can't say for sure what he'll be like once he's fully awake."

"Oh...  Well, it should be okay.  I work with all kinds of kids, so I have experience managing all types of personalities."

Jack's smile turned up.  "I know you do."  Perhaps he trusted Nikko more than Nikko thought or gave him credit for.  "To be honest, I chose him for you because he was the runt of his litter.  He won't get any bigger than he currently is."

Another jab at Nikko's size; hilarious, coming from a rabbit.  "Is he-  Ah-!"  Nikko's hand flew up when the dog's knees gave out and his body dropped.  Even Jack didn't have time to react and catch him before he fell.

But then Knight was there.

Arms reaching, Knight dived to catch the dog.  He stood, his bundle safely gathered in his arms, and gave a little sigh.  "That was dangerous!"

It took a moment for Nikko to snap out of the shock of the sudden activity, but when his brain started again he said "Way to go, Knight."

Even Jack looked impressed.  "Your reflexes are impeccable."

Knight chuckled, though his cheeks pinked.  "Thank you!"

The dog stirred, his face scrunched, and then his head turned to Knight's chest and he relaxed again.  He had slept through the whole thing.

Nikko caught sight of a small, black spot on the dog's face, and he stared at it for a moment.  It was a mole – the guy had a mole on his chin, just left of his mouth.  _Too_ cute.  He was very adorable, even if he was channeling Sleeping Beauty, and Nikko's fingers longed to scratch at those folded ears.

"He's had his medical checks and is overall very healthy, despite his status as a runt."  Jack answered the question Nikko hadn't gotten to ask.  "He may have some problems with his eyes, though.  He's scheduled to have further tests on his vision next week.  Can you keep the appointment?"

"Yeah," Nikko replied.  "Either Knight or I can bring him in."

"Great.  Then, if you'd like to take him..."  Nikko nodded, and Jack continued.  "Then the last things we need to do are ask his permission and fill out the contract."

The surprise Nikko felt about needing permission from the student was very brief.  Of course they wouldn't force the students to go with someone they didn't feel they could trust or like.  It had been different with Knight, who'd had the ability to say something or walk out of the room at any time.  Knight had shown clear enthusiasm at the prospect of going with Nikko, but this sleepy little pup couldn't do that.  Hopefully they could wake him and ask him directly; hopefully he would have the wherewithal to give his consent properly.

Nikko nodded once again.  "Please."

With his professional smile, Jack turned to the dog, still in Knight's arms.  He reached up and shook the dog-boy's shoulder, saying softly "Hey.  Wake up, Little One.  Wake up."  When the dog stirred, Jack patted him on the head, and then shook his shoulder again.  "Wake up."

Finally, slowly, the single eye not hidden by a fall of black hair cracked open, winced, then opened further.  It was a brilliant, beautiful violet eye, glancing tired around the room.  When he looked up, squinting at Knight's face, Knight smiled.  The dog just stared, confusion touching his elegant features.

"I know it's a bit soon," Jack said, drawing the dog's attention.  He gestured to Nikko as he continued.  "But these two would like you to go home with them.  Nikko will be your teacher, Knight, your peer.  What do you think?"

The dog's gaze went to Nikko, squinting again, making Nikko realize he was still on the other side of the room and the boy had vision problems.  He carefully stepped closer, then held out a hand.  As expected, the dog began to sniff at his fingers, and then his eyes turned back to Nikko's face.  "I'd love if you could be my student," Nikko said in a gentle voice, smile deepening at the way the dog's ears twitched when he spoke.

A moment later, the dog looked back to Knight, and his eyes stayed there even as Jack asked "Would you like to go home with them?"

His gaze moved back and forth between Knight and Nikko again, and then the dog nodded.  It made both Knight and Nikko smile, even as the dog then promptly closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

"All right, then," Jack said.  "I'll go prepare the contract.  Please wait here."

Alone again, Nikko took a moment to look at his new family.  The dog rested so easily in Knight's arms, he really did look like a beloved child, though Nikko refused to think of himself as anything like a father.  He gestured to the chairs, saying "You should sit, so your arms don't get too tired."  There was a good chance Knight was going to have to carry the pup all the way home.

"What will you name him?" Knight asked cheerfully after he had sat.

"Me?  I think you should name him."

"Animals can't name other animals!"  Knight looked shocked by the very idea.

Nikko chuckled.  "Why not?"

"I-  I don't know.  But we don't."

"Well, I'll think about it.  And if you get any good ideas, tell me, and we'll think about it together."

Knight smiled broad.  "Okay!"

Sometime later, Jack returned with the usual clipboard and papers.  Everything went down much the same as before, except that this time Nikko already knew all the rules and what would be expected of him.  He didn't need to read the fine print, since the contract itself was the same, the only difference being where Jack had written the student's type, breed, and serial number.  Like before, the box for the student's name was left blank.

When all was said and done, they all stood.  Jack gave his most professional "Thank you for your continued assistance" and a bow, then moved to open the door for them.

Nikko thanked Jack in turn, and then stepped out of the room, ready to face his new life with _two_ animal students.

The door to the room across the hall _slammed_ open to let loose a storm of blonde hair and red lipstick.  Nikko froze, so did the storm, and simultaneously recognition dawned over both of them.

"Nikko?"

"Noella?"

 

 

 

Starbuck's was empty for a Saturday, but Nikko knew from experience that it was simply a matter of having arrived in between rushes.  No matter where it was, East or West, the general population suffered from a subconscious hive-mind, which was why cash registers at a store could be dead one moment and slammed the next.  It was only a matter of time before everyone in the area decided in sync that they needed coffee.

They took a table outside, the weather being fairly decent even by Nikko's picky standards.  Noella had driven them there and had offered to drive them home as well, for which Nikko was grateful.

"He is _so_ cute," Noella said, smiling at the sleeping pup.  They had initially sat him up in a chair, but he kept falling over, so eventually just ended up on Knight's lap.  "I just might have to branch out from rabbits one of these days."

Nikko smiled, though he was dying to know what went down at the facility.  "Maybe when he wakes up he'll be a terror, and won't be so cute anymore."

Noella laughed.  "I doubt that.  But I had no idea they were so sleepy at this stage.  It's fascinating.  You're getting to experience something no other teacher has."

"Yeah..."  The thought gave him butterflies.  "I just hope I don't mess it up."

"You'll be fine."  Noella's smile was sure, confident for Nikko, who wasn't quite so confident himself.  "Have you thought of a name yet?"

"No," Nikko answered.  "I'm not so good with that kind of thing."

"Nonsense!  Knight has a fantastic name."  At her words, Knight perked, chirped his thanks.  Then Noella continued with "You could continue the chess theme.  How about 'Rook'?"

Nikko's eyes drifted to the side.  "Eeh...  That sounds like the kind of name you'd give a vampire."

Noella laughed again.  "Alright, then...  Not 'Pawn'; that would give him an inferiority complex."  That one made Nikko laugh.  "But...  Maybe 'Bishop'?"

"Bishop...?"  Nikko weighed the name on his tongue, glanced at the sleeping dog.  "Bishop..."  He liked it, a lot.  "Yeah, that's really good."  He smiled and turned to Knight.  "What do you think?"

"Yes!"  Knight smiled.  "I like Bishop!"

He knew it wasn't meant like _that_ and _that_ was the point of all this anyway, but it made Nikko's heart squeeze.  His smile tightened.  "Then, Bishop it is."  His gaze turned again to the dog – to _Bishop_.  Jealous as he was, as he would be, he looked forward to seeing those violet eyes again; he looked forward to talking with Bishop.

"Do you have a bed for him?" Noella asked next.

"Not yet.  I'll have to have one delivered."

"I have an extra one you can have if you want."

"Really?"  That would be _such_ a big help – Nikko was almost afraid to accept it, having nothing to repay her with except gratitude, which he didn't feel was nearly enough.

But Noella just gave a "Yeah!" and flashed her bright red smile.  "Since my boys share a bed, we have an extra.  If you'd like it, it's yours.  Or, well, it's Bishop's."

"That would be great.  Thank you _so_ much."

"No problem.  We can swing by my place before we take you guys home and pick it up."

"Sounds great.  Thanks."  Nikko smiled at her, forever grateful.  Noella was cool and kind; Nikko was glad for this chance to get to know her better.  Her smile and attitude were glowing, making it hard to believe just a half-hour ago she was ready to skin someone alive.

Noella hadn't said anything yet about why she was so furious when they ran into each other.  Nikko didn't know if she would, but he figured it was her business, and if she wanted to talk she would.  Just in case she would rather forget, he didn't bring it up, even though he was brimming with curiosity.

"Ah, you've got that look in your eye," Noella said, drawing back Nikko's attention.  He had barely noticed the conversation had dwindled to silence.  "You want to know what happened, don't you?"

"Oh, no.  It's...  It's not..."

"It's normal to be curious, you know."

Nikko blushed.  "Well, I mean...  Of course I'm curious, but if it's none of my business..."

Noella shook her head.  "It's fine."  She paused a moment, seeming to consider her words.  Her smile fell.  "It's that...  They want Ruka to graduate."

"Oh.  Well, that's nice.  Congratulations."

"They want _only_ Ruka to."

"Oh..."  That made all the difference.

"I refuse."  She was heating up.  "I _refuse_ to let them separate Ruka and Toto.  Those two _need_ each other.  I'm not even sure they could live without each other."

"I'm...  I'm sorry to hear that."  Nikko didn't know what else to say.  All the words he knew felt inadequate.

"I told them he wasn't ready, but...  I don't know if they'll force it."

An uncomfortable silence fell; apparently neither of them knew how to further address the issue.  Nikko's eyes slowly moved to Knight, who was looking down at Bishop with a crease in his brow.  It seemed he at least understood the situation, even if there was nothing anyone could do about it.

What if Knight did fall for Bishop?  It was Nikko's plan for the short term, but what would happen when Knight, who was older and much further along in his studies, had to graduate?  Would Nikko have to go through the same thing; would he have to fight for them to not be separated?  _Could_ he?

He didn't even want to think about it.


	21. Wake Up, Little One

 

 

 

For a few days, everything was about Bishop.

Honestly, Knight was a little bit jealous.  Even though Bishop did little more than sleep and eat, Nikko was really focused on him, and seemed to want Knight to be too.

The first night Bishop was home, Nikko requested that Knight stay in his now-shared room, just in case the dog woke up and needed anything.  Knight thought about going to Nikko's room anyway; Nikko wouldn't kick him out – not if he didn't try anything that was against the rules – and he didn't think Bishop would wake up.  Just as he had climbed out of bed, though, he paused.  What if he was wrong?  What if Bishop _did_ wake up and was scared or lonely?  Knight had said he would help take care of Bishop, so he would.  He would show Nikko he was a good boy, and a good big brother.

Instead of leaving that night, he padded over to Bishop's bed and watched the sleeping dog.  He remembered what it was like going through this time, body still aching and feeling tired all the time.  He remembered waking up sometimes and being alone.  Always alone.  He didn't want Bishop to go through that.

He ran a hand through Bishop's hair, scratched behind his folded ears, like Nikko always did for Knight.  Even in his sleep, Bishop's tail started to wag, his blanket rising and falling in a few lazy beats.

He wanted to do right with Bishop, but it still kind of hurt when Nikko, fresh and clean and damp from the shower, greeted him with "How's Bishop?" instead of a 'good morning'.

"He's sleeping, but I think he's okay."

"Did he sleep through the night?"

"Yes," Knight answered as he placed Nikko's coffee in front of him on the dining table.

Nikko said "That's good" without looking up as he pulled on his socks.

And Knight was still for a moment, trying not to feel ignored.  Nikko had a lot on his mind, probably stressed as always with preparing for summer classes at work on top of a new student at home.  Knight knew that; he couldn't be selfish.  Yet, he still found himself calling softly "Nikko."

"Hm?"

When Nikko looked up, Knight bent down and kissed him, holding their lips together until he'd had his fill.  He wasn't allowed the lover's kiss anymore, which made him sad, but this one was okay.  He would take it; it made his body warm.

When he pulled away, Nikko's cheeks were pink.  He looked surprised and extra cute, which made Knight smile.  "Good morning, Nikko."

The first day and a half, Knight had to help Bishop walk quite a bit, sometimes even carry him, but it wasn't long before he could walk on his own.  He could feed himself, at least, though only by using his hands.  Using the bathroom was a much bigger problem, as Bishop didn't even know what a human toilet was, much less how to use one.  At first he would just squat wherever he was, soiling his pants – which were actually borrowed pants from Nikko – and the carpet.  Knight had to be vigilant and watch for Bishop to start getting into position, then scoop him up and carry him to the bathroom to strip him of his pants and set him on the toilet.  It was kind of embarrassing, but Bishop learned really quickly.  After only a few times, Bishop figured it out, and then was able to shuffle himself to the bathroom when he needed to go.  Knight was happy for him.

Bishop ambling around on his own two feet did pose a problem in itself.  The pup's vision must have been worse than anyone guessed, because he often walked into things.  He had yelped loudly the first time he tripped over the coffee table, scaring the life out of Knight, and once walked straight into a wall, missing the bathroom door by a lot.  Knight hoped he got a first-aid lesson soon, because Bishop was likely to get hurt at the rate he was going.

The morning of Bishop's third day, they heard him speak for the first time.  It was just a simple "No.  Meat," when Knight asked if he wanted pancakes for breakfast, but it made both Knight and Nikko excited.  They looked at each other, gazes snapping to meet, and broke out into wide grins, proud parents cooing over baby's first words.  Bishop's voice was a little strange, but cute.  Knight gave him extra servings of breakfast sausage that day.

Though he slept quite a bit, even Knight was able to see that Bishop was intelligent.  He picked up on things quickly, only having to be shown once or twice before he got it.  When he was able to keep his eyes open through an entire meal, they finally showed him how to use silverware, the lesson a simple matter of putting a fork in his fingers and guiding him through the motions.  He quickly pulled his hands away from Knight's touch, and then showed them that he could do it.

The more Bishop woke up, the more he was able to do, and mere days had passed before Knight didn't really need to take care of him at all.  He could be left to his own devices, which usually involved sleeping in their room or on the couch, and it gave Knight more free time to get his chores done.

He was in Nikko's room, gathering laundry, when a spat of loneliness hit him.  It was kind of silly, perhaps, because he had spent less time alone in the past few days than he had in months.  Bishop was always around and even if he was asleep or didn't respond, Knight could still talk to him.  There was now a constant presence in the apartment, a persistent scent, yet Knight felt alone.

It wasn't the same.  If it wasn't Nikko, it wasn't the same.  Knight missed Nikko, even if he didn't see him any less often than usual.

He picked up one of Nikko's work shirts that had been dropped over the bedroom chair and pressed it to his nose.  It smelled like Nikko – probably needed to be washed, but Knight didn't add it to the basket right away.  Instead, he held it to his face and inhaled that clean scent of Nikko.  He could smell small nuances in the cloth; Nikko must have been stressed the day he wore this shirt.

Knight's body began to tingle.  He also missed getting to taste Nikko.  It had only been a few times, but he wanted it again so badly.  He loved the flavor of Nikko, sweet like the purest honey, intoxicating.  Even more, he loved making Nikko feel good, loved the little sounds of pleasure Nikko made when Knight used his mouth on him.  He missed how close he felt to Nikko afterwards, as they lay together, like it was part of Nikko's soul he had swallowed, and eventually they would become one.

He got hard.  Taking in Nikko's scent, remembering the time when they could kiss like lovers, when Knight could fill all of his senses with Nikko, it made his penis grow erect, yearning.  He wanted Nikko, but he couldn't do anything about it.

Knight pressed a hand against his painful erection.  That made it throb even more, though, and it frustrated him.  He didn't get why he couldn't have Nikko.  Why was it bad?  Why was that stupid rule there?  Why couldn't they just keep it a secret?  _Why_!?  Why didn't Nikko let him do it anymore!?

He threw the shirt into the basket by his feet, then kicked it, sending the clothes flying.  He could feel the frown pulling at his lips as he glared at the overturned basket, but he was unhappy.  And when his eyes moved up, catching his reflection in the long mirror, his unhappiness deepened.

It was because he was a fox.  Because he had these ridiculous fox ears and a stupid tail.  And he wasn't even a real fox; he had these awful black horns that looked demonic.  He wasn't _human_ , so he couldn't be with Nikko, and there was nothing he could do about it.

He wanted to run away and take Nikko with him.

Knight turned away from the mirror, sick of himself.  Reaching back, he grabbed his tail and began to stuff it down the leg of his pants.  He needed fresh air; he wanted to move, to stretch his legs.  He wanted his erection to go away, and for that, he needed to be away from Nikko's scent.  So he left the room, intending to go on a walk.  He should be allowed to do that much, at least.

"I'm going for a walk," he told Bishop as he passed through the living room, not that the sleeping dog would have heard him.

The fresh air felt good, relaxing him as soon as he stepped onto the sidewalk.  His mind and body eased as he walked, and eventually he began to feel peace again.  He had places he liked to walk to now, favorite parks to visit and stores to window-shop at.  There was a street where people played instruments or sang songs, and sometimes groups of people danced, and there was a river Knight could walk along where he sometimes saw fish.

He visited all of those places, mind wandering as his feet did, lost in thought.  He thought about Nikko a lot, and it made his heart hurt.  He thought about Roco and Wendy and hoped they were okay, wherever they were.  He thought about how he secretly hoped Jack never found them, even though Jack was his friend.  And he thought about Ruka and Toto, how the company wanted to separate them, which made him think about his own graduation.  They would force Knight to graduate eventually, wanting a return on the money they invested in creating him.  But then he would have to leave Nikko, even though he had promised he wouldn't.  He would have to figure out a way to stop that from happening.

Knight was grateful to the company for giving him this body, but sometimes he really hated them.  He hated their stupid rules that he didn't understand, and he hated how they decided things for him without asking what he wanted.  He hated that he was just a product to them.

He kicked a stone into the river, sighed, and then turned to go home.  He felt much better now.

When he got to the mahogany door of the apartment, however, he found it unlocked even though he was sure he locked it when he left.  He sniffed the air carefully as he cautiously entered, but he didn't smell anything.  He didn't smell anything at all, not even a dog.

"Bishop?" Knight called softly as he stepped to the living room.  There was no response, and there was no Bishop.  The couch was empty.  "Bishop?"  Louder, this time.  He went to their bedroom, the bathroom, Nikko's room; Bishop wasn't in the apartment.

Knight's heart began to pound, gripped with fear.  He had no idea where Bishop could have gone.  Terrible things flashed through his mind as he ran out onto the balcony and looked over the side.  No Bishop splattered below – it barely made Knight feel any better.

If the dog had gone out for a walk, there was no way for Knight to know.  Bishop couldn't write, so there wouldn't be a note, and they hadn't gotten him a phone yet.  If someone broke in and kidnapped him...

It would be all Knight's fault.  If anything happened to Bishop, it would be all Knight's fault, because he was supposed to be taking care of him.

He was a bad big brother.

Knight ran from the apartment, feeling no peace when he reached the sidewalk this time.  He called out loudly.  "Bishop!"  As expected, though, there was no reply.  So he tilted his head back, raising his nose to the air.  He couldn't scent as well as a dog could, but perhaps if there were even a tiny chance, a bare hint, it would give him a clue as to where Bishop went.

And that in and of itself was perhaps the first clue, Knight realized.  Bishop _could_ scent as well as a dog.  If Bishop went out looking for Knight, he would have followed his smell.  So Knight began to trace his steps from before, looking for the missing dog.  It may not have been the right way, but it certainly couldn't have been any worse than running around at random.

He was scared.

Bishop didn't know anything about the outside.  He didn't know what a car was and that he shouldn't stand in front of one.  Even if he did, he could hardly see.  It was too easy to imagine Bishop walking into traffic or off a bridge, unable to see or assess the danger he was heading towards, and as he ran, tears began pouring down Knight's face.

" _Bishop_!  Where are you!?"  Knight yanked the hat off his head as he ran, freeing his ears.  He didn't care if people stared; he needed to be able to listen.

There was no Bishop at the park or around any of his favorite stores.  Knight ran through a troupe of dancers, getting scolded for breaking their formation, but he didn't stop.  No Bishop among all the musicians either.  Knight's heart squeezed harder and sobs broke louder as he headed for the river.  He didn't know if Bishop could swim.

He ran down the bank with the wind to his back, going in the direction his scent would have travelled, but he didn't see Bishop.  The awful, yet likely, thought occurred to him that maybe he had been wrong.  Maybe Bishop hadn't gone looking for him at all; maybe Bishop was sick of him and went in the opposite direction.  Maybe Bishop wanted to be away from him.

Knight tripped over a stick hidden in a tuft of long grass and fell to the ground, scraping his face and bruising his knees.  He didn't have the energy to get up, though.  Instead, he buried his face in his arms and cried.  He had lost Bishop, had failed to keep his word and take care of him.  Jack would be mad; Nikko would be disappointed.  He would be punished for losing a student – he deserved to be.

Wiping his face one last time on his arm, Knight pulled himself up onto his knees.  He may as well go home, admit his failure, and accept whatever happened to him.

But when he glanced around to get his bearings, his eyes went wide.  He hadn't tripped over a stick at all, but rather, a leg.  A thin leg, clad in black.  As Knight's eyes travelled up the dark form, his heart pounded.

Curled in the overgrown, green grass was Bishop, sound asleep.

"Bishop!"  Knight whirled on the dog, gathering him up in his arms, tucking his face into Bishop's neck as he began to cry again.  Relief flooded through him; Bishop was okay, safe and found.  Everything would be okay.

An annoyed ' _woof_ ' came from above, and Knight pulled back to see violet eyes staring at him, dazed and sleepy, a tiny frown on Bishop's lips.

"I'm so sorry!" Knight said.  "I didn't mean to leave you by yourself.  You must have been lonely.  I'm...  I'm sorry."

The world was still for a moment while two animals stared at each other, and then Bishop began to wiggle out of Knight's arms.  He crawled away a few feet, then sat on his haunches with his back turned to Knight, tail lying flat and motionless behind him.  For a while, Knight thought Bishop was angry, until the dog turned his head to look over his shoulder.  It was only for a moment, and then he turned back.  His tail thumped once.  "I... wasn't lonely."

Knight broke into a smile, because somehow Bishop's words convinced him even more that he _had_ been lonely, had gone out looking for Knight, but his attempt to deny it was oddly endearing.  And so Knight stood up, walked around to stand in front of Bishop, and extended his hand.

"Let's go home."

 

 

 

Knight had never spent much time in the medical rooms of the facility.  He was pretty healthy, so he never saw the clinical rooms aside from his occasional checkup.  It had shocked Nikko, though, that the nurses were also animals, mostly rabbits, though the doctor was human.

"I see," Nikko said as he analyzed a pair of sample frames while Bishop was fitted with his chosen glasses.  "So the little combs hold them up."

"That's right," the doctor replied.  "Since they don't have human ears, it's either this or a sports wrap-around style.  His hair is thick, though, so these will work well for him and still look natural."

Knight saw Nikko turn a suspicious eye to Bishop's hair, and he wondered what he was thinking.  Nothing more was said, though, so Knight took the dawning silence to ask "Should I get glasses, Nikko?"

Nikko turned to him, lips curling up into a smile.  "Do you have trouble seeing?" he asked as he went to Knight, lifting the lens-less frames.

"No."  Knight held still as Nikko slid the frames on him, fixing the combs in his hair so they stayed up properly.

"Then you don't need glasses."  As he stepped back and stared at Knight's face, however, Nikko's sweet scent began to waft up lightly.  Bishop must have noticed it too, as his nose began to twitch, his eyes focusing on the back of Nikko's head instead of the doctor's finger.

Knight pouted.  Nikko must have liked glasses, but he didn't get to wear any.  "I want glasses."

"Oh, Knight."  Nikko reached up again and pulled the glasses away.  "You should be grateful to have perfect vision."

"Does Nikko have perfect vision?"

Nikko snorted.  "No, I'm practically blind."

"Really!?"

"No."  Nikko laughed softly; Knight loved that sound.  "I am supposed to wear glasses, though."

"Why don't you?"

Nikko only shrugged.  Knight wanted to see Nikko wear glasses some day.

"You're all set," the doctor said as he stepped back, revealing Bishop as if announcing him at a ball.  Bishop looked good in the rectangular, black frames.  They suited him well.  "There shouldn't be any problems, but if there are, just call and we'll fix you right up."

"Thanks, Doctor."  Nikko's smile was small and polite, shy.

The doctor's smile, on the other hand, deepened as he studied Nikko for a moment.  Then he said "You're really good with them."

Nikko's cheeks went pink.  "N-Nah...  I'm... average."

The doctor only smirked, one side of his mouth pulling up.  "Well, thank you for bringing him, and have a nice day."

The greetings were returned and the doctor left.  Nikko's cheeks remained pink, but his voice was mostly normal as he asked Bishop "You can see?" and gave a little 'thumbs-up' sign.

On the street, Knight took Nikko's hand, and then offered his other to Bishop.  The dog didn't take it, only looked away shyly, but Knight didn't push it.  He was just happy that Bishop was awake, walking on his own, safe, and now with corrected vision.  He felt like their family had grown bigger, and the smile on his face was unending.

"Nikko!"  Knight squeezed the warm palm encased in his own.  "Let's get ice cream!"


	22. Teenage Animal Drama

 

 

 

' _Are you going to the party?_ '

' _Of course!_ '  The response came quickly.  ' _You?_ '

' _Yes, and I have something interesting to show you._ '

Nikko pulled his phone away from his face for a moment, looking over to Bishop, who was practicing writing the alphabet _again_.  Each letter was written in a beautiful, perfectly straight script in neat rows, one right after the other.

He needed something else to do.

Bishop seemed to fixate.  Now that he was finally awake and had begun his studies, his personality was showing.  He was studious, intelligent, and extremely diligent.  His brain seemed to work non-stop, and if he didn't have a task to do, he would fret and pace.  He was learning faster than he could be taught, mind like a sponge, and until some new materials could be sent, Nikko had photocopied a bunch of the kids' kindergarten and first-grade workbooks from his school for Bishop to practice with.  Bishop knew all of the material already – had learned the alphabet in mere days and could already write his own name, as well as Knight's and Nikko's – but he didn't seem to mind doing the work over and over, so long as he was doing _something_.

But he would be better off with something more challenging.  Nikko would have to check out the fourth- and fifth-grade workbooks next.

His phone dinged, indicating a reply, but Nikko didn't bother with it just yet.  Instead, he asked "B-Bishop?"  He hated how his voice stuttered – he was supposed to be the teacher here.  But if Bishop noticed or had any thoughts about the vocal skip, he didn't say anything about it, only looked up at Nikko with questioning violet eyes.  "Can I take a picture of you?"

Bishop's head tilted.  "Picture?"

Ah.  In the three weeks since Bishop had arrived, he hadn't seen a camera yet.  He had been startled when they showed him the TV, ears pricking up comically at the people living inside a box.  Nikko could only imagine the dog's reaction to having his own image embedded in a device.

"It's like TV," Nikko explained.  "But not moving.  Watch."  Then Nikko opened the camera application and turned the phone on himself, pressing the shutter icon.  It clicked, making that distinct sound, and then Nikko pulled the phone down again, opening the photo.  He _hated_ the way he looked in pictures – his chin looked too big; his left eye squinted slightly more than his right eye; every wrinkle seemed like the deepest trench – but it would serve its purpose.  He turned the display to Bishop.  "See?"

Bishop's eyes went wide and his ears stood up.  His gaze traveled from the picture to Nikko's face, back and forth again.

"It's just an image," Nikko continued.  "It doesn't hurt or anything like that.  Humans take pictures to help preserve and share their memories.  Here's one of Knight."  He flipped through the pictures to a recent one of Knight, taken when the fox had found the first blooming flower of spring, and showed it to Bishop.  "See?  So...  Can I take one of you?"

Bishop looked from the phone to Nikko, and then very slowly nodded.

"Are you sure?"

Another nod, this one more decisive.

Nikko smiled.  "Okay."  He switched back to the camera application and focused on Bishop, saying "Smile" even though he knew the dog wouldn't.  The shutter sounded again, making Bishop go tense, and then they reviewed the photo.  It was really cute.

"Can I get one more?  Of your ear?"  When Bishop's brows crinkled in confusion, Nikko elaborated with "It's kind of a joke for a friend."

Bishop nodded slowly again and Nikko slid off the couch to the floor where Bishop sat.  He reached a hand up, but Bishop leaned back, saying a quiet "Please don't touch me."

Of course.  Bishop didn't like being touched, not by Nikko, not by Knight, not by people who stood a little too close in the checkout lane at the grocery store.  The pup needed his space.  "Sorry.  I want to do a close-up; can I get closer?"  At Bishop's nod, Nikko moved just his arms and the phone towards Bishop's head, filling the display with fuzzy black.

Ginger would never be able to guess what it was.  Nikko smiled as he showed the photo to Bishop.

"That's my ear?"

"Yeah, an extremely up-close picture of it."  Nikko chuckled, then went back to his text conversation.  In the time he took to get the picture, Ginger had sent five replies asking what, what, _what_ was so interesting.  Just as he was about to send the picture, though, Nikko paused.  He was being silly, but what if Ginger didn't think it was so funny?  What if she thought the little joke was stupid?

He sent the picture anyway.  If she didn't already think he was stupid by now, she likely never would.  Their senses of humor were pretty similar.

A moment later, the reply came.  ' _What is that?_ '

' _Hmm..._ '

' _NIKKO WHAT IS THAT!?_ '

Nikko chuckled and set the phone aside.

 

 

 

The arcade was noisy and flashy and the absolute last place Nikko would ever guess would be chosen for a gathering.  The animals couldn't exactly run around, and some of the games could be frightening for them.  He had to trust that the facility knew what it was doing, though, so he greeted Jack for the third time in six weeks with a smile.

"I'm glad you could make it," Jack said, buck-teeth showing through his smile.  "How have things been going?"

"Really well," Nikko answered.

"How has Bishop been getting along?"

Nikko glanced at Bishop, who was staring wide-eyed at the games beyond the doorway.  "He's been doing great.  He's incredibly smart, and has been picking things up quickly."

"That's good to hear."  Jack's smile was small, but sincere for once.  Then he handed two cards to Nikko, explaining "These have credits on them to use for the games.  Each student gets one.  Ah, but if teachers want one they have to buy their own."

"I see how it is," Nikko said, then immediately worried if Jack would understand that he was joking, not actually upset.

As usual, Nikko worried for nothing.  Jack's lips pulled up, though all he said was "Once the credits run out, it's up to the teacher to buy more.  Food will be served at the bar and drinks are free for two hours; after that you have to buy your own."

Nikko nodded.  "Thanks."  Though he was beyond curious as to how the facility could afford all this.

"Have fun," Jack said, giving an extra smile to the excited Knight and bewildered Bishop.

While he saw people he was starting to recognize, waving at Alice, Ben, and Jerry, Nikko didn't see any of his friends, so he led his students to an empty booth to put their stuff down and gave them each one of the game cards, explaining how to use them.  "You can run around and do whatever you want," he said with a smile.

"I want to play with Nikko!"  Knight grabbed his hand, and Nikko felt his face go pink.

"Knight..."  It sounded like so much fun, but...  "Please watch over Bishop.  He might get scared by some of the games."

Bishop's eyes moved over the arcade-slash-bar, taking everything in.  His nose twitched, and a moment later he took a step towards where food had been set out, buffet-style.  His tail was stiff, quivering, as he stared intently at a pile of spare-ribs.

"Or we could eat," Nikko amended with a smile.  "While it's free."

Knight pouted, but they went and grabbed plates and food and ordered drinks.  They took everything back to their booth, but before they could even sit, they heard Ginger's "Oh, my _God_."  Looking over showed a broad smile and shining blue eyes coming right for them.  "He's gorgeous!"

Nikko smiled, nodded.  "Hello to you, too."

"Nice to meet you," Ginger said to Bishop while extending a hand.  The dog only stared at it, and eventually Ginger withdrew, smile not faltering.  "I'm Ginger.  What's your name?"

"I'm... Bishop."

"I see."  Ginger laughed.  "We've got a theme going on, huh?"

More figures approached, giant fennec ears that Nikko recognized even from the corner of his eye.  Kent gave him a charming smile and a wink even as he moved to take Ginger's elbow in a gentlemanly hand and greeted her.  Tina went to Knight, demure, blushing as she said "Good afternoon, Knight."

Knight went shy as well; they hadn't seen each other since the failed attempt at socializing.  "H-Hello..."

"I hope we can play games together."  Her lashes fluttered.

"Yeah."  Knight smiled.  "That would be fun."

"I hear there's a compatibility test game," Tina said.  "We should try it."

A sharp bark of laughter sounded from behind, then Penny sauntered up to them.  "Your compatibility will be zero unless you grow a dick."

While Knight looked confused, because Nikko certainly had not taught him _that_ word, a small scowl came to Tina's brows.  "That's not true."

"Shows what you know," Penny replied, and for a brief moment Nikko wondered if they were about to see a girl-fight until Penny's attention turned to Bishop.  "Who's this?"

"He's Bishop," Ginger answered.  "Nikko's new student."  Her gaze flicked to Nikko, prompting him to speak.  "Right?"

"Yeah..." Nikko said.  "I took him in about four weeks ago.  He's very young and-"

"He's cute," Penny interrupted as she ran a hand along Bishop's shoulder.  "He's old enough to socialize, right?"

Bishop's whole body had gone stiff.  "Please don't touch me."

Penny removed all but one finger, running that single digit over Bishop's shoulder, down his back.  "This young body must be very energetic."  Her finger moved lower, going to stroke Bishop's tail.  Bishop started to shake, but Penny didn't seem to notice.

"No, you can't touch him."  Knight moved to put himself between the two dogs, putting a hand on Penny's shoulder gently yet with just enough force to push her back.  His yellow eyes glowed with concern.  "Bishop doesn't like to be touched."

Penny's eyes narrowed.  "Except by you?"

"No."  Knight's brows drew together.  "I don't touch Bishop either."

A snort, sarcastic laughter.  "Right.  It's only a matter of time before you're _socializing_ his brains out."

" _No_!" Knight snapped.  "I only want-!"  Then his eyes went wide as he cut himself off.  Nikko stood paralyzed as well, all too sure of what Knight was about to admit, the implications of it, and the consequences.  Only after Knight amended to say "I only want to be Bishop's big brother" did Nikko let out his held breath.

Penny sneered, though a flash of hurt showed in her eyes for the first time.  "Sure.  As brotherly as a rabbit."  And Nikko finally started to piece things together.

"Hey."  Tina tried to sound firm in her soft voice as she stepped up to Knight's side.  "You're being awfully mean to Knight."

"If you're trying to win him over, it's not going to work.  He's not interested in you."

Tina looked absolutely taken aback.  "Y-You don't know that."

"If he doesn't want me, there's no way he'd want you."

Tina's face was no less adorable when she scowled, but it didn't ease the growing discomfort twisting at Nikko's gut.  The girls really were on the verge of a fight, and Knight was caught in between them.  Nikko cast a glance at Ginger and Kent, but they seemed to want the students to work it out on their own, without interference.  He supposed this was a learning opportunity too.

"Maybe you're not his type," Tina said, tiny mouth turned down in a deep frown.

"If I can't have him, _you_ certainly can't!"

"Why do you need him when you've had everyone else!?"  A low blow from Tina in the red corner.

"You dense, dumb bitch."  Rebound from Penny in the blue corner.

Tina's hand flew to her mouth, looking scandalized.  "How dare you!?"

"You don't get it, do you!?  Knight is gay!"

It felt like the entire arcade went silent, though really it was just their little group who were shocked speechless.  All eyes had turned to Knight, who just stood there with a frown, seeming upset by the unpleasant atmosphere the girls had created with their argument.

Finally, slowly, Tina pulled her hand away from her mouth and asked "Knight...  Is that true?"

For a long time, Knight just stood there, put on the spot.  He looked angry, but also hurt and betrayed.  Then he opened his mouth for an audience of held breath.  "What's 'gay'?"

Ginger busted out laughing and even Kent's lips held a smile.  Nikko, on the other hand, collapsed into the booth's seat and dropped his head into his hands.  All this drama over Knight, and it was only going to get worse when Buck arrived.

"Knight, you are too cute."  Ginger was still chuckling as she patted Knight on the shoulder before putting an arm around Penny.  "Come on, Pen.  We have to have a chat."  Then she steered her student off to some unseen corner.

Likewise, Kent went to Tina, offering her his hand.  "Tina, come with me."

And just like that, Nikko and his students were left alone again.  The sudden whirlwind of teenage animal drama was gone, leaving a mess in his hands.  "Sit down, you guys."

"Nikko, I don't understand," Knight said as he slid into the booth.  "Why were they mad?  I only told Penny not to touch Bishop."

Nikko pushed the plate of ribs over to Bishop as he said "Remember how you tried to socialize with Penny and it didn't work?"

Knight looked away, but he answered "Yes..."

"She's trying to hide it, but I think she was really hurt by that.  Her feelings were hurt."

"But!"  Knight looked crestfallen.  "But I tried!  I-!  I couldn't-!"

"I know.  It wasn't your fault, and she knows it in her head."  Nikko pointed to his own head, and then moved his hand to his chest.  "But her heart won't listen.  And because her feelings are hurt, she was being mean."

Knight's lip quivered.  "I'm...  I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, Knight.  There's nothing you or anyone can do, but she'll need time for her heart to heal."

Several moments passed with Knight silently watching Bishop gnaw on a rib bone, and then he looked back up at Nikko.  "What does 'gay' mean?"

"Ah..."  Nikko felt his body flush.  "That's... a word that describes who someone is attracted to.  Like...  Ginger is a women and she likes men, right?"

"Yeah..."

"So we say she's straight.  I'm a man and I like men, so I'm gay."

"So if a man likes men it means gay?"

"Yes."  That was far easier to explain than expected.  "And women who like women are gay too."

"So Penny thinks I like men?"

Nikko's body got warmer.  "Well...  I mean...  It's probably just her way of comforting herself, to explain why you didn't... want her."

"But..."  Knight's fists clenched; determination took over his features.  "I only like Nikko!"

"Knight!"  Nikko's heart leapt even as he admonished his confused fox.  He told himself again that there was no way Knight could possibly understand the concept of romance, that the 'like' he felt was different.  He couldn't get out of his head, though, how genuine Tina's feelings seemed.  She sounded legitimately love-struck when she talked to Knight; if it weren't for the ears and tail, Nikko would have no doubt he was seeing a girl who was in real, true love.  If Tina's feelings could be so sincere...

But he couldn't.  He couldn't allow himself to believe Knight had feelings for him.  Even if Knight himself believed he did.  And even though it hurt, like everything involving Knight did, Nikko had to continue his current plan to shift Knight's attention onto someone better suited.

"What about Bishop?" Nikko asked as if he were being considerate of the dog.

At hearing his name, Bishop looked up.  His face and hair were covered in barbecue sauce, an image that was all-too silly on someone usually so serious.

"I...  I like Bishop too," Knight said, looking as though he were trying to figure something out in his head.

Nikko smiled, positive reinforcement.  "I bet that makes him happy."  Then Nikko's gaze was pulled up, over Knight's shoulder, towards the arcade entrance.  Buck's large frame took up the doorway as he spoke with a staff member, receiving one of the game cards, and even larger was Gus, standing behind him.

When they passed through the door, Nikko saw Buck's eyes searching, and when their gazes met, they shared a nod.

"Knight," Nikko started.  "Could you take Bishop to the bathroom and help him wash his face and hands?  He got pretty messy."

Knight smiled, previous troubles starting to fade away when given the chance to be helpful.  "Okay, Nikko."   Then he ushered Bishop out of the booth, gesturing for the dog to follow.

Once he was alone, Buck came over to his table, Gus in tow.  The wolf looked worse than Nikko had ever seen him.  His once-shining red hair was dull and limp; his golden eyes were downcast and carried dark circles underneath; his ears were flat.  The alpha wolf looked broken.

"Hey, Nikko," Buck greeted, holding a small smile.

"Hey, Buck," Nikko replied.  "And Gus...  How are you?"

Gus's ears perked up, but then immediately went flat again.

"Gus," Buck prompted, then patted the wolf on the back.

Even as Gus stepped forward, his head turned further away, as if trying to maintain distance with his gaze, if nothing else.  "I...  I'm really sorry...  About before...  I-"  He paused, sniffled, and there were tears in the big, strong wolf's golden eyes.  "I showed my teeth to you, and I shouldn't have.  I didn't mean to.  I-  ...  I don't want to hurt you.  I'm sorry."

For the first time, Nikko felt absolutely unafraid of a wolf.  "It's alright, Gus.  I know you have some difficulties, and I forgive you."  He smiled.

"I'm sorry to Knight, too, for... what I did..."

Nikko's smile dipped a bit, but not much.  "You'll have to talk to him about that, but..."  He glanced to Buck, who nodded.  "But keep in mind that he may not want to see you."

Slowly, Gus nodded.  "I understand..."

There was a small beat of silence, and then Buck asked "So, ya gonna eat all this food yourself?"

Nikko smiled again, gesturing.  "Help yourself.  Sorry there aren't any ribs left."

They sat, ate, talked, but not long after, Gus's head snapped up sharply, his nose quivering.  He climbed out of the booth and headed in the direction of the bathrooms.  Nikko saw him intercept Knight, on his way back with a sparkling-clean Bishop, and though they were too far away for Nikko to hear what was said, it was very clear what was happening when Knight stepped past Gus with hardly a glance, bee-lining for their booth.

" _Please_."  They got closer; close enough to hear the pleading in Gus's voice.  Knight kept going, and Gus reached to grab Knight's wrist.  "Please, Fox!"

"No!" Knight snapped, wrenching his wrist out of Gus's grasp.  "Don't call me that!"  Then he flew to the booth, climbing in and wedging himself behind Nikko, finding a safe place between Nikko's back and the booth's seat, and stayed there.  His face pressed into Nikko's shoulder.

Gus whimpered.  "Knight..."

"Not right now, Gus," Buck said in an uncharacteristically soft voice.

A scowl came over Gus's face – considerably more hurt than angry – and his fists clenched.  All he said, though, was a hushed "I'm sorry," and then he turned and walked away, tail trailing behind him.

Knight didn't move, and Nikko looked to Buck again.  "He's not ready."

"Understandable," Buck replied, then sat back in his seat.  A smile graced his lips.  "So, who's this?"  He pointed a thumb towards Bishop, who stood off to the side, looking confused and trying to dodge the cats who frolicked around him.

"He's Bishop," Nikko answered, returning the smile.  "My new student."  He gestured for Bishop to come closer and sit next to him.

"Another one?  Damn, you must love this program."

Nikko laughed softly.  "Well, we took him in so Knight would be lonely during the day.  Unlike you, I can't take my students to work with me."

Buck spread his hands.  "Hey, Gus can lift three times more than anyone else on my crew.  Sue me for takin' advantage of that."  Then he extended a hand to Bishop.  "I'm Buck.  Nice to meet ya."

Like before, Bishop only stared at the offered hand, and when Buck thrust it closer, Bishop said quietly "Please don't touch me."

Buck looked to Nikko, who only said "It's kind of his catch phrase."

Laughing loudly, Buck withdrew the hand.  "Well, it's nice to meet ya anyway."  Then he stood up, slipping out of the booth.  "I'm gonna go find Gus, make sure he isn't breakin' anything.  I'll catch you guys later."

Nikko called back a "See you."

They sat for a while after Buck left, patiently waiting.  Bishop held his game card up and ran his finger along the words printed on the front, and Nikko helped him sound them out.  He didn't know what the usual rate of development was, but he was proud of Bishop for being able to read already.  When people they knew stopped by, Nikko introduced Bishop, and everyone seemed charmed by him, even if he wouldn't shake their hands, and they seemed amazed by how young he was.

It didn't escape Nikko's notice that Marie and Tiffy were there alone, Victoria nowhere in sight.  If it was because of Knight – because of what happened at the Halloween party – well...  He wasn't sorry.  But he did feel a little bad for Marie, against his better judgment.  She looked a bit lost and alone without her only friend to gossip with.

It also didn't escape his notice that Noella wasn't there.  He remembered Jack's words from before – when a teacher didn't want their student to graduate, they tended to cease contact with the company.  Noella was limiting their access to Ruka.

Before Nikko could stress over their situation further, however, Knight finally stirred.  His hands came up to grip Nikko's shirtsleeves and his face peeked over Nikko's shoulder.  "Nikko?"

"How are you feeling, Knight?"

"I want to play games."

Nikko chuckled.  "Okay."  Then he looked to Bishop.  "Do you want to play?"  And at Bishop's nod, they got up and headed into the depths of the neon arcade.

He had been afraid, from the moment Jack informed him where this meetup would be, that Bishop would be frightened by all the sights, sounds, and smells of the place, but the dog seemed to take it in stride.  A few times, something would startle him and his ears would prick up, but with a little observation, he seemed to settle quickly.

Knight, on the other hand, was the one to cower in fear when they passed by the zombie-shooting games.

"If you see something you want to try, just say so," Nikko said with a smile and a pat on Knight's arm.

"Not that one..." Knight replied, wary.

Nikko's smile turned up, amused by his scaredy-fox.  "How about the basketball game?"

"Okay!"

"Bishop?"

A nod, and they headed towards the hoops.

Once they got going, both Knight and Bishop wanted to try many games, going here and there, often playing together but sometimes not.  As they stood side-by-side, playing a side-scrolling adventure game, their tails wagged in tandem.  Nikko thought they looked good together, an adorable difference in their height, Knight having to look down to meet Bishop's gaze as they shared a victorious smile when the monster was defeated.

Nikko hoped they would grow closer, even if it broke his heart.

They came across Penny in their wanderings through the arcade.  Tina too.  Both girls apologized to Knight, and both were forgiven with a sincere smile.  And both walked away looking even more smitten.

They spotted Gus too, who just turned away, devastated.  He ended up beating the high score on a punching game by double.

It was while watching Bishop destroy Knight at Tank Battle that Nikko ran into Kent – literally.  He had taken a step back in order to take a picture with his phone, and slammed into a body that quickly grabbed his arms for support.  "I'm so sorry!" Nikko said as he turned to find green eyes smiling at him.  "Kent."  He breathed a sigh of relief – it wasn't a stranger.

"Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah," Nikko answered.

"I'm glad to hear that."  Kent took Nikko's elbow as he had done with Ginger earlier, and began leading him through the arcade.  "Tina has been wanting to play something with Knight."

"Ah."  He had no idea where they were going.  "She'll have to ask him, then, but I think he's trying to take care of Bishop."

"What a good big brother Knight is."

"Y-Yeah...  Where-"

"Tina found that compatibility test game," Kent said with a smile.  "I'd like to try it."

"Wi-With..."

"With you, of course."  Kent chuckled; it was a nice sound, but for some reason it made Nikko shiver.  "Just for fun."

Nikko's heart pounded, but not in a pleasant way.  He felt awkward and uncomfortable.  He felt drunk, though he hadn't had a drop of alcohol.  "Wouldn't you rather try it with Ginger?"

"Right now, I'm more interested in you.  Ah, there it is."

It was a small game machine, simple to play.  There were two silver handles, one for each person to grip, and a light-up meter that had a sad heart at 0% and a lovey pair of hearts by 100%.  The top of the meter read 'The Love Tester' in bold pink and white letters.

"I'll pay for it," Kent said as his grip moved to take Nikko's hand, pulling him to the machine.

"I'm not sure..." Nikko started, but Kent had already put his game card on the reader.

Two lights glowed red, one next to each handle.  "Grab one," Kent said with a smile as he began to slot his game card back into his pocket.

Dazed, confused, and completely unsure of anything, Nikko reached up and grabbed the handle next to him.  The light on his side went out, leaving the other handle lit up alone.

Kent lifted his hand, going for the other handle, but froze when they heard "What are you boys up to?"

Ginger stood with a hand on her hip, a brow raised curiously.

Kent clasped his hands in front of him.  "We were just playing around with this silly thing.  Right?"

"Um...  Yes?"  Nikko continued to grip the handle, trying to judge what was going on.  Was Ginger mad or suspicious?  Was there really anything to be suspicious of?  He didn't want things blown out of proportion if Kent really was just playing around.  He'd already had enough drama for one day.

"Nikko!"  Another voice sounded, drawing attention.  Knight bounded over to him, Bishop trailing behind.  "You were gone, Nikko!  I thought you got lost!"

"No, I'm right he-"

"What's this?"  And without waiting for an explanation, the curious Knight grabbed the other handle.

The second light went out; the light on the meter began to climb.  It shot up to 100%, bells and whistles going off as the whole game began to flash its lights, drawing everyone's attention.  It was mortifying; it was frightening; it was just a stupid game that chose 'compatibility' at random, but it made Nikko's heart flutter.

He looked up slowly, meeting Knight's wide-eyed gaze.

 

 

 

"Did you have fun?"

"Yes!" Knight answered as his hand nestled into Nikko's.  "But Bishop beat me at all the games."

Bishop was silent as he walked beside them, not nearly as talkative as Knight.  So Nikko filled in, saying "Well, everyone has something they're good at."

"What is Nikko good at?"

"Err...  Nothing.  I'm not good at anything."  He really wasn't.

"But you said everyone!"

Nikko laughed, but there was very little mirth or amusement in it.  "Everyone except me."

"What am I good at?"

Knight was certainly the best at being an adorable fox, but Nikko couldn't say that.  Instead, he answered "You're pretty good at sports."

"Really?"

"Yeah.  I bet you could even beat Jean LaForet at tennis."

"Who?"

"Nevermind."  Professional sports were the one thing Knight never watched on TV.

"Could I beat Bishop?"

Nikko glanced at the dog, who was looking away.  If Bishop had heard or was paying any attention at all to their conversation, he didn't show it.  "Do you _want_ to beat Bishop?"

It was silent for a long while before Knight finally answered "...No."


	23. Animal Instinct, Human Regret

 

 

 

It was hot, hot, _hot_.  Too hot.  His body was on fire.

He had woken up hard again.  It hurt.  His erection throbbed, demanding some sort of release that Knight didn't know how to get.  The only thing that had ever made it feel better was out of reach now, that satisfying flavor off-limits, and Knight whimpered in discomfort as he opened his eyes.

He was in Nikko's room.  Since Bishop had settled in, Knight had felt comfortable coming into Nikko's room – Nikko's bed – again.  He wasn't concerned about Bishop getting lonely; half the time, Bishop acted like he _wanted_ to be alone, hardly talking, never letting anyone get too close.

Here, in Nikko's room, Knight could be close to someone.  He could be close to _Nikko_.

But Nikko made Knight's body hot.

Nikko was curled slightly on his side, his back turned to Knight.  They had lain snuggled together during the night, but had drifted apart as the summer sun rose, warming the room to uncomfortable levels.  Knight pressed back up against Nikko, his crotch fitting nicely along the cleft of Nikko's butt.  His hips moved to press closer, to rub against Nikko.  It felt...  It felt good.  It made him want more.

His mind faded to blank as an arm and leg slid over Nikko's body, wrapping around the smaller man.  Knight's hips continued to press into Nikko repeatedly, seeking something, wanting more and more pressure.  His mouth fell open, small, ragged breaths coming in puffs.

Felt good.  Needed to move more.  Push more.

He thought he heard a voice somewhere, saying unintelligible sounds.  Human sounds.  He couldn't worry about humans right now – the warm thing under him was trying to leave, but he needed it.  His body needed it.  He growled, trying to tell the warm thing not to leave.  He held it tighter.

" _Knight_!"

Everything snapped back into focus and Knight stopped moving, paralyzed as he realized it wasn't just some warm _thing_ underneath him.  It was _Nikko_.  He had gone after Nikko again.  He had hurt and frightened Nikko again.

Then Knight began to cry.

"I-  _Yiff_!  I'm sorry, Nikko!  I-  I-"

Hands were on his face, in his hair, petting and soothing.  "Shh..."  Nikko hushed him softly, gentle voice and caresses.  "It's alright, Knight.  It's okay."

But it wasn't alright.  How could it be?  He was a dumb animal, no better than a feral wolf.  "I hurt Nikko!"

"No, Knight.  I'm not hurt.  See?"  Nikko took Knight's chin, leading Knight to face him, to look at him.  Nikko's brown eyes were sincere as their gazes met.  "I'm not hurt.  You stopped."

"But..."

"You're getting better."  Then Nikko's lip curved up into a tiny smile.  "You stopped just by my voice."

Knight pouted.  He didn't feel like he had done any better, even if it was true that Nikko didn't have to slam anything this time.

They were still and silent for a moment, Nikko's hands staying put on Knight's cheeks, until the alarm on Nikko's phone began to sing its tune.  "I have to get ready for work," Nikko said softly, hesitating slightly before his hands finally slid away.

Knight nodded, but didn't otherwise move.  Usually he got up with Nikko and made coffee, but today he didn't feel like it.  It wasn't a chore or anything; Nikko had never even asked him to do it – Knight did it of his own accord, because it made Nikko happy and Knight liked making Nikko happy – and on the rare mornings Knight was too tired or feeling too lazy to do it, Nikko made the coffee himself without complaint.

With a final sniffle, Knight flopped onto his stomach and buried his face into the covers that had been pushed to the end of the bed.  Through the persisting silence, he heard Nikko leave the room, soon followed by the sound of the shower running.

Knight didn't leave the bed.  Even when Nikko came back to get dressed, he stayed where he was.  Even when he smelled fresh coffee being brewed, when he heard Nikko greeting Bishop and offering to put something together for breakfast, Knight kept himself hidden.  Even when he heard Nikko leave for the day without a goodbye, Knight remained in his imaginary cage.

He was ashamed of himself.

He was as bad as Gus, just taking what he wanted even after being told 'no', unable to control his urges and instincts.  Just a stupid animal; he deserved to be in a cage for real.  Maybe then Nikko would be safe from him.  He had stopped because of Nikko's voice this time, but what if he didn't next time?  What if he didn't stop at all next time?  How could Nikko say anything was alright?

Knight felt awful.  He felt like a beast, like no amount of apologies would ever make up for it, and...  He felt like he could understand Gus a little bit.  If Gus felt even a little bit as bad as Knight did, it would be a whole lot.  Perhaps it was time to listen to and forgive Gus.

But...  No.  He shouldn't forgive Gus.  What Gus did was bad, and what Knight did was bad.  It would be better if Nikko stopped forgiving _him_.  Nikko should stop petting him and saying it was okay.  Nikko should stay away from him, for his own safety.

Knight turned his head, adjusting to lay on his side as best he could before his stupid horn got in the way.  His face was exposed enough for him to take in a deep, shuddering breath, and the air tasted like Nikko.  A whimper pulled from Knight's throat.

He was still hard.

Being in Nikko's room made it worse, so he dragged himself away from the bed, standing on his deceptively human feet.  He passed by his own room as he lumbered down the hall, pausing when he caught a strange scent.  It was sweet, like Nikko's sweet smell, but different.  Not Nikko.

His brow creased, but he continued down the hall, reaching the living room.  Bishop sat on the floor in front of the coffee table, as usual, studying, as usual.  It sent an inexplicable tick of anger through Knight.  He didn't get how Bishop could study _all the time_.  Didn't he have any other interests?  Or maybe he just liked the attention.  Bishop was so smart; Nikko said it all the time.  So smart!

Nikko never said Knight was smart.

Knight felt his lips pull down into a frown, but then his jaw clenched when he saw which book it was Bishop was using.  It wasn't the yellow of book one or even the yellow-green of book two.  It was green – book three.  Bishop had done in a month-and-a-half what took Knight six months to do.

His fists clenched even as tears began to well in his eyes.

He stormed over to the table, snatching the book right out from under Bishop's nose.  "You can't use this one!" he snapped.  "You're supposed to use book one!  You're supposed to follow the study chart!"

Bishop looked up at him, violet eyes looking lost behind his glasses – glasses Nikko thought were _so_ attractive.  "But I finished book one already..." he said quietly.

"Well, you can't use this one; it's mine!"  The showoff dog didn't have his own book three yet, since he _wasn't supposed_ to be on it yet.  "The workbooks are all done already!  I did them!"

Bishop looked down, whispering "I was just reading..."

Somehow, that only made Knight feel worse, guilt curdling his sour anger.  He threw the book down, and then stomped through the living room.  He threw the sliding glass door open, letting himself out onto the balcony before slamming it shut again.  Then he stuffed himself into a corner, curling into a ball, and let himself cry.

 

 

 

He didn't eat all day.  He was hungry, but he also felt like if he ate he would get sick.  His stomach hurt, but he wouldn't go inside.  His fingers ached to dig, but he wouldn't go to his sandbox, instead scratching at the cement floor of the balcony until his nails tore and bled.

His erection had faded, and with it went most of the anger he had felt, though the guilt and sadness had remained.

He didn't know why he got so mad at Bishop.  It wasn't Bishop's fault that Knight was a stupid fox, and he shouldn't blame Bishop for not wanting to be bored.  He felt awful, but now it would be too embarrassing to go back in and talk to Bishop.  He wanted to apologize, but didn't think he deserved forgiveness.

His fingers hurt.  He sat up with his back against the wall, pulling his knees to his chest, and then wrapped his arms around them, lowering his face to rest on his knees.  He stayed just like that for a long time, not moving even when he caught Nikko's scent coming down the sidewalk, approaching the front of the building.

Everything went silent.  Knight wished time would stop; he wanted Nikko to come to him as much as he wanted him to stay away.

And come Nikko did.  It seemed like an eternity – it seemed too soon – but eventually the glass door slid open and light footfalls stepped out onto the balcony.  "Knight," Nikko said softly, standing before him.  "Can I sit here?"

Knight only shrugged his shoulders without lifting his head.  A tense moment later, Nikko sat beside him.

"Are you alright, Knight?" Nikko asked, concern laden in his voice.  "Bishop told me you were...  You were upset."  In the pause that followed, with Nikko waiting for an answer, Knight remained silent.  So Nikko said "If it's about this morning-"  Then Nikko's voice hitched; his worry making him sad.

Knight made Nikko sad.  Again.

"I'm stupid," Knight said to his knees.

"No, you're not."

"I am.  I keep hurting Nikko.  And I can't study like Bishop."

"That doesn't mean-"

"Nikko always says how smart Bishop is, but you never say I'm smart."

"Knight..."  It was silent for a tick, and then Nikko said "I'm sorry."  His hands were on Knight's horns, then, pulling his head up, forcing Knight to look at him.  "I do think you're smart.  I really do.  You can even ask Ginger; I've told her many times how clever and intelligent I think you are.  I'm sorry I've never told you directly."

Knight felt his lip quiver, and he shook his head free from Nikko's grasp, burying his face in his knees again.

If he was so smart, why did he keep hurting Nikko?

For a long time, it was silent.  Knight wanted to snuggle against Nikko; he wanted to tell Nikko to leave him alone.  He wanted to go back to the facility, to go back to the time when things were simple and he didn't have to worry about breaking rules because he didn't do anything all day, locked in a room, mostly forgotten, only experiencing social contact when his food was brought and during the single hour of exercise time each day with the other teacher-less animals.  It was painfully lonely, but at least he wasn't hurting anyone then.

Eventually, Nikko stood back up.  He lingered a moment before whispering "I wish I knew what to do for you."  And then he walked away, back into the apartment, separating them with a gentle shutting of the glass door.

Knight began to cry again.

 

 

 

The first step to feeling better, he decided, was to apologize to Bishop.  Even if he didn't deserve forgiveness, Knight wanted Bishop to know that he hadn't meant what he said.  Bishop hadn't done anything wrong.  If he were going to be a good big brother, Knight should be helping Bishop study and learn, not throwing a jealous fit over it.

So he slid into the apartment, keeping his eyes averted.  There was no way to pass through the living room without being seen, but he tried to stay as unnoticeable as possible, for now.

He retrieved his big book of everything, a peace offering, and returned to the living room.  Standing before Bishop, book clutched in his hands, Knight said "Um."  When Bishop looked up at him silently, he continued with "I...  I'm sorry!  What I said before, it was mean.  I shouldn't have said that.  You...  You can use my books if you want."

Bishop only dropped his hands to his lap and looked down.

"Bishop is very smart," Knight said as he lowered to his knees to sit across from the dog.  "It's good."  Then he set the book on the table and slid it towards Bishop.  "Here, you can read this.  It's very interesting!  If you read it, you'll know everything!"  He chuckled, but then his smile fell as he quietly added "Or, you'll know an awful lot."

Bishop's hands came up.  He touched the large book delicately, sliding graceful fingers over the cover, the sides of the book, revering it.  Then he opened the cover, flipped through some pages, his eyes trailing over the words written.  And then he looked up at Knight again, saying a small "Thank you" while a tiny smile came to his face.

Knight's heart squeezed.  He had made Bishop smile.  It was such a rare and lovely treasure.

"Here," Knight said as he walked on his knees to the other side of the table.  He sat next to Bishop, and Bishop didn't move away.  Happiness trickled through Knight, his first bit of relief all day.  "I'll show you bats; they're really cool!"

As they went through the book, with Knight showing off all the animals he had seen and Bishop listening attentively, Knight glanced up to see Nikko watching them from the kitchen.

There was a small, sad smile on Nikko's face.


	24. Puzzle Pieces

 

 

 

Bishop was intelligent.

There was no doubt about it.  Even confirming with Jack told Nikko how much faster Bishop had progressed than the students usually do.  Being able to read within a month of waking up was far more advanced than they could have guessed, genius level, and Jack lamented that any data gathered in this little experiment couldn't be used if they were going to look further into having teachers take on additional students earlier in development.  Bishop was an outlier, and they wouldn't be able to use his progress to judge how other too-young students would fare.

While impressed, it caused a dilemma for Nikko.  He had to figure out how to bolster Bishop's learning without upsetting Knight or making him jealous again.  At the rate Bishop was able to learn, he would likely surpass Knight's studies easily, but at the same time, holding Bishop back would be unfair, and leave the dog bored.  It was a troublesome problem.

In the end, Nikko put Bishop on a slightly advanced study schedule, but not too much.  He would still catch up to Knight eventually, but it would take longer.  Hopefully by then Knight's feelings would be settled, and he would be able to accept it more easily.

To keep Bishop from getting bored, Nikko bought puzzle books – crosswords, Sudoku, and other various word games – and continued to bring home copies of his school's student workbooks.  Some of it – most of it – ended up being too simple for Bishop, but he seemed content with it, as long as he had something to do.

And on a hot Saturday afternoon, Nikko took his students to the public library.  He helped them get library cards, once again mentally praising whoever had the idea to issue the animals I.D.s, and then let them loose to choose whatever books interested them.

Or, at least he _tried_ to let them loose, but both stuck by his side, following Nikko as he browsed the aisles.

"We can really take anything?" Knight asked again in disbelief.

"You can _borrow_ anything," Nikko replied.  "Once you're finished, you bring it back."

"I've never read fiction before."

"You can give it a try, if you'd like.  Borrowing books from the library is free, so if you end up not liking what you choose, it's okay.  No harm done."

Knight only hummed in response as he studied the cover of a Stephen King book.

"Err...  You probably don't want that one," Nikko said.  "It's really scary."

Knight's eyes went wide and he quickly put the book back on the shelf.  "I don't like scary things."

Nikko chuckled.  "I know."

The truth was, Nikko missed Knight.  It may have sounded ridiculous, considering they lived together, but Knight had been distant with him.  Ever since his last... slip, Knight refused to get close to Nikko.  He didn't try to snuggle with or kiss Nikko, didn't climb into Nikko's bed at night.  It was lonesome, and yet...

And yet...

This was the way it was _supposed_ to be.  They were finally proper teacher and student.  So Nikko didn't say anything about it, didn't tell Knight to trust himself, to trust that he hadn't – _wouldn't_ – hurt Nikko.  He let it go, telling himself it was for the best.  If Jack suddenly dropped by, he would find Knight's hairs all over his own bed, his room appropriately lived-in.

"There are books about animals, too," Nikko continued.

"I want to see those," Knight said with a smile.

Regardless of their distance, it was good to see Knight smile.  "The non-fiction books are on the other side of that wall."  Nikko pointed.  "Why don't you take Bishop and see what you can find?"

"Okay."  Knight gave a nod, and then turned to take Bishop's hand.  "Let's go see."  And Bishop allowed himself to be pulled away.

That was the other recent development.  It took a spat and an apology, but Knight had wiggled his way into Bishop's bubble.  Bishop, who wouldn't let anyone else touch him, who trembled when a little kid used his leg as a hiding spot at the park, who wouldn't even shake hands with _friends_ , had begun to allow Knight's touch.  He didn't pull away when Knight took his hand, he didn't make space when Knight sat shoulder-to-shoulder next to him, he didn't flinch when Knight wiped a spot of ketchup from his cheek, licking it from his finger after.  Knight was his exception – only Knight could touch Bishop.

Perhaps something would develop between them after all.  It sent a pang of jealousy through Nikko, even as he told himself again and again that it would be for the best.

In the end, Nikko checked out a semi-recent novel by his favorite author, while Knight got an encyclopedia of nocturnal creatures.  Bishop borrowed two books about astronomy and a young-adult mystery novel.

"You can come here anytime you want," Nikko said as they began walking home.  "Just don't get lost.  Okay?"

"Yes, Nikko!"

 

 

 

Bishop was _not_ athletic.

Perhaps because he was a runt, perhaps it was just him, but Bishop's physical ability was as low as his intelligence was high, a TV-stereotypical nerd trope with puppy ears.  He had very little stamina and poor coordination, learned the hard way when they dug out the sports set Knight had received for Christmas and headed to the park.

The first failed game was Frisbee.  Nikko would throw the disc and both of his students took off running after it, racing to see who could catch it first.  And it was Knight, by a long shot, every time.  He was majestic, long legs carrying him to the Frisbee, always able to catch it before it hit the ground.  He would run back to return the disc with a smile on his face, then hurry back into position for the next throw.

Bishop didn't stand a chance.  He tried, at first, running after the disc, after Knight, but he couldn't keep up.  The distance he ran before giving up became shorter and shorter, and eventually he stopped running altogether.

"Do you want to throw?" Nikko asked.

Bishop's ears perked, and then he nodded.  So Nikko showed him how to fling the disc, praising him when it went mostly straight, then sat back and watched the two play.  It wasn't a complete failure after all, though Bishop's arm got tired long before Knight's legs did.

They tried badminton, which resulted in Bishop getting hit in the face with a birdie more often than he could return it.  A particularly nasty miss knocked his glasses right off of his face, sending Knight running to him with tears in his eyes and an apology on his tongue.  Even though Bishop assured him that he was okay, it was Knight who said he didn't want to play badminton anymore.

They had a bit more luck with the kickball, passing it between the three of them, until Bishop completely missed a kick and fell backwards, hitting his head hard on the ground.  They went home after that.

But while Bishop wasn't great at physical games, he excelled at video games, as though the only part of him with any coordination were his hands.  No game was beyond his ability – racing, puzzle, adventure, sports – they were all easily beaten quickly and efficiently.  Role-playing games were the only ones that took him any bit of time to complete, some amount of grinding necessary no matter how streamlined his battle strategies were.

Sometimes Knight got discouraged when playing against Bishop.  He generally laughed it off when they first started, but losing again and again always ended up wearing on him.  Much like Bishop and the Frisbee, he would eventually put his controller down and stop playing altogether.

Nikko enjoyed watching them from the couch, fascinated by how different they were.  Not just in size and personalities, but also in how they related to others.  Knight, who had spent so much time alone at the facility, craved affection.  He always wanted – _needed_ – to be close with other people, and was open, warm, and friendly.

Bishop was the complete opposite.  Taken from the facility too soon, he was colder, shying away from people.  Bishop needed a lot of space, keeping everyone at arm's length, and rarely displayed his emotions.

They couldn't have been more different, yet grew closer every day.

Knight stared off to the side after dropping his controller, Bishop's dancing character mocking him on the screen.  For a moment, Nikko thought Knight might start crying, but then a sly look came to the fox's face, his mouth pulling into a grin.

A moment later, Knight pounced.

It was too quick, too sudden to evade, even if Bishop had seen it coming.  Knight pinned the dog to the carpet, holding his wrists down in one hand and sitting on his legs.  His free hand moved to Bishop's side and slipped under his shirt to tickle him, making the dog laugh loudly, punctuated with indignant barks.  It was funny, and even Nikko couldn't help a giggle.

But then Knight stopped.  He leaned over, hovering above Bishop's prone body, and with a triumphant grin he said "I win."

Bishop didn't respond, only stared up at Knight with a hint of a pout, and then the room fell silent.  They just stared for a moment, Nikko watching them watch each other, and then Knight's nose began to twitch.

He sniffed, scenting out something undetectable to humans, and then he began to lean down.

Knight stopped, as did Nikko's heart, when the little, sword-shaped necklace fell free from the t-shirt he wore.  It dangled between the two students, stealing everyone's attention for a moment.  Then, slowly, Knight's eyes rose to meet Nikko's gaze.

 

 

 

Bishop was...

... Humping his pillow.

Nikko had knocked before opening the door, intending on showing Bishop how to set the table for dinner, but the dog either hadn't heard or didn't care, involved as he was in his... activity.  Bishop was kneeled on his bed, his pillow folded in half and wedged underneath him.  His pants were pushed down to his knees and his dick was pressed into the crease of the pillow, slim hips thrusting away.  His arms wrapped around the pillow in a tight embrace as he pushed into it without a word or a whimper.

Nikko's jaw dropped, eyes wide, and it didn't help when Bishop looked right at him but didn't stop or slow down at all.  In that moment, Bishop was just a dog doing a dog thing, but Nikko's face flushed bright red as he stammered "I-  I'm sorry."  Then he backed out of the room in a hurry, shutting the door behind him.

Well, at least it answered the question of whether or not Bishop was old enough for socializing.

Nikko retreated to the dining table, grabbing up plates and silverware to set the table himself as Knight watched him from the kitchen.  "Nikko?" Knight questioned, spatula in hand.  He looked exceptionally adorable in his pink apron, adorned in printed cartoon foxes.  "Where's Bishop?"

"He's busy," Nikko answered.  He hoped his unrelenting blush didn't seem suspicious.

There was a beat of silence, perhaps two, and then Knight said again "Nikko?"

"Yes?"  Nikko paused in his table-setting to look up at Knight.

A longer silence stretched, then Knight just replied "Never mind" and turned away.

No matter how much Nikko wanted to run to Knight – to hold him, never let him go, tell him not to be so afraid of himself – he didn't, _couldn't_.  It needed to be like this.  If only Knight were happier.

Once more, Knight said "Nikko..." as if he liked saying it as much as Nikko liked hearing it.  "About next week..."

Next week.

Next week...

Nikko knew what Knight was getting at, but he kind of didn't want it addressed.  Kind of.  So he said a distracting "Yeah, I have to work next week too, but it's the last week of summer classes, so I'll have some time off after that.  We can go somewhere or do something, if you'd like.  With Bishop."

A stagnant moment passed, and then Knight looked over his shoulder.  His smile was small, sad.  "Okay, Nikko."

Bishop came into the dining area then, looking completely normal and unconcerned with the pink taking over Nikko's face.  He sat himself at the table and looked up when Knight served him a helping of vegetable stir-fry.  "Meat?"

"Vegetables," Knight replied with an indulgent smile, a mother guiding a child.

Nikko smiled to himself at the domestic scene, then sat at the table while Knight filled his plate.  It was a scene he never really thought he would have for himself, but there it was.  It was a little unusual, but he would take it.


	25. Maybe Not Soon, But Someday

 

 

 

"Okay, it's clear."

Two animals peeked out the entrance of their apartment building, making sure their human was out of sight.  Their tails were tucked away, hats covered their heads, their animal parts hidden away from the public world even as they used their heightened senses to sniff out their target's distance.

"Let's go!"

They scampered down the walkway, turning down the sidewalk to head in the opposite direction Nikko would be taking to work.  Knight took the lead, though by now Bishop knew the route just as well, and they hurried to their destination.  They had to move quickly so they could finish their task and return home in time to get their homework and chores done before Nikko got back from work.  It was just frustrating how much slower they ran with only two legs.

The place they aimed for wasn't too far, and they made it there in record time.  Bishop's stamina must have been getting better.

They separated once they entered the pristine building, Knight heading for the stairs while Bishop went towards the elevators.  Knight found the stairs to be faster, especially if he took them two at a time, but Bishop had trouble making it up all seven flights.  As long as he got there eventually, though, it was fine.

Knight knocked on the door, tail bouncing in his pants, and smiled when Penny answered.  She was wearing clothes this time – how nice!

"Good morning!" Knight chirped.

"You're here _again_?" Penny asked in reply.

"Yes!"  He continued to smile as he entered the apartment.  "We're almost there!"

Ginger gave him a wave and a smile from the kitchen table, where she sat behind three large piles of photographs.  "Morning, Knight!  Want some coffee?"

"No, thank you.  I had some earlier."  Too much and his stomach would feel bad.  He pulled his hat off, and though he jumped at the first touch, he let Penny pull his tail free from him pants.  "That's a lot of pictures!"  As he moved to stand by Ginger, another – lighter – knock came to the door, signaling Bishop's arrival.

"Yeah, I've been meaning to organize them forever, but never got around to it."

"Is that what we'll do today?"

"That's right, clever fox."

Knight's tail curled.  Not only Nikko, but many of the people in his small world had been commenting more often about Knight being smart, as if they were making up for all the times he didn't hear it before.  It made Knight happy.  Perhaps one day he would even believe them.

Bishop scooted away from Penny's reaching fingers, standing in front of Knight, who worked at setting his tail free while Ginger explained the day's task to them.  "These pictures," she said as she patted one of the piles.  "I'm going to use in a portfolio of some older articles I've written.  I need the borders cut off and each sorted by subject."

"Subject?" Knight questioned, wanting to be sure, wanting to do it right.

"Easy is okay.  Make a pile for people, one for plants, one for animals, and one for buildings."

Knight nodded, smile turning up.  "Okay."

"These ones are for my personal use."  Ginger picked up a photo from the second pile and pointed at some numbers printed in red at the bottom of it.  "They have the date they were taken printed on them, but after years of just tossing them in a box, they're all out of order.  I'd like to put them in albums, so if you could, please put them in order by date."

"Okay!" Knight said again, happy to help.  Beside him, Bishop nodded.

"And this pile..."  Ginger sighed then, even as a triumphant laugh came from the other side of the kitchen.  "These are all pictures of Penny."

"All of them?"  Knight eyed the huge pile of photos.

"Yes," Ginger confirmed.  "She wants to make a scrapbook of herself.  Don't ask me why."

"Please organize them from most cute to least cute," Penny said, smiling, happy to be indulged.

Knight looked at the few pictures on top of the pile.  They all seemed to be the same level of 'cute' to him.

The girls left them to their task, and they got right to it.  Knight began organizing the first pile of photos, while across from him Bishop took the second pile.  The organizing went relatively quickly, but cutting the borders off of photos took more finesse and time.  Knight was still cutting when Bishop finished his task, and after finding a second pair of scissors, they worked together until all of the pictures were prim and trimmed.

They took on the third pile together, but Knight honestly couldn't tell which pictures were supposed to be more cute, and Bishop seemed to be even more at a loss.  They figured out which ones were obviously bad – if they were blurry or if Penny's face looked strange – but other than that the ordering was mostly just random guesses.

Penny joined them, carrying a large book and a plastic box with a handle that she set on the table before sitting next to Knight.  Then she picked up the photo on top of her pile and examined it.  "Ugh, you think this one's cutest?"

"Um...  Yes?"

"Okay."  She dropped the photo, then opened her box.  Inside it were several pairs of scissors, colorful tape and ribbons, pens, and a whole lot of stickers.  "Help me trim them and put them in the book."

Knight had never made a scrapbook before.  He didn't even know what one was until Penny showed him the two pages she had already done.  It was fun, and Penny seemed to have a lot of what humans called 'creativity', which Knight completely lacked.  But he was good at following Penny's instructions, and had fun using the special scissors that made pointed or other strange edges on the pictures.

"Why are you making a scrapbook of yourself?" Knight asked, chatting while they worked.  Penny had said a scrapbook was full of memories, but he didn't understand why she wanted memories of just herself.

"Because," Penny said simply.  Then she looked around; her voice went low.  "Well, it's a secret, but...  It's for Ginger."

"For Ginger?"

"Yeah.  I mean...  I'll graduate someday, right?  Maybe not soon, but someday.  So I want to make something for her to remember me by."

"Oh..."  Knight's hands stilled on the photo he was holding, a picture of Penny and Ginger together, in front of a roller coaster somewhere, smiling at the camera.  He wondered where Penny would end up when she graduated; he hoped it was someplace nice.  All he said, though, was "That's very nice of you."

Penny only shrugged, but a quiet moment later she said "If I end up leaving before either of you, make sure she gets it, okay?"

Knight and Bishop both nodded.

 

 

 

Knight smiled as he waited for Ginger to find her wallet, tail curling against his leg, already tucked back into his pants.

Ginger had been surprised when the pair of students showed up at her door a week before, asking if they could do chores for money.  "Can't you do the work program again?" she had asked at that time.

"They won't let Bishop do it because he's too young," Knight explained.  "If only I do it, we won't have enough."

She had taken a moment to think, though if it was about whether she had any chores for them or if she could afford it, Knight couldn't tell.  His tail had beaten nervously against his leg until she finally smiled and said "All right, come on in."

A week later, Ginger gave them their last payment while asking "So, what are you getting him, anyway?"

"A new suit!" Knight said happily.  "All his old ones have rips or are..."  The word escaped him, and he gestured like he was pulling threads on his sleeve.

"Frayed," Bishop said simply.

"Yes!  They're frayed, so we want to get him a new one!"

Ginger's lips curved up.  "That's very sweet of you.  I'm sure he'll be very happy."

"I hope so!"

That had been on Thursday.  Friday was their only chance to buy Nikko's gift without him knowing.  After Friday, Nikko would be home all the time for the last week of summer, before his regular work schedule started again.  So they had to go to the suit store on Friday, for sure.

Knight had gone shopping with Nikko a lot, but they always seemed to only buy clothes for Knight.  Nikko rarely bought clothes for himself.  But from his experience, Knight knew an important part of clothes shopping was size.  He didn't know Nikko's size, but luckily Bishop was a genius, suggesting they get the size from one of the other suits hanging in Nikko's closet.  So as soon as Nikko left for work on Friday morning, they raided the closet.

Knight hadn't been in Nikko's room in a while.  He had to stay away from Nikko, in order to protect him.  He didn't even go in to collect Nikko's laundry anymore, instead making laundry Bishop's new chore.  Being in Nikko's room was dangerous.

He was surrounded by Nikko's smell as soon as he went into the room, eyes avoiding the bed they used to share while an old, nostalgic feeling came over him.  He felt sad, but didn't let it stop him from his task.  "The suits are in back, here," Knight said as they pushed some other clothes out of the way.  Though Nikko didn't seem to care for clothes in general, usually tossing things on the chair when he was done wearing them, he always made sure to keep his nice shirts and pants hung up neatly.

Finding an old, blue suit, Bishop dug out the tags on each piece and read the measurements off while Knight wrote them down.  Then they made sure to put everything back perfectly in place and shut the closet door.  They had what they needed; time to go shopping.

Knight hung back, though, after Bishop had left the room.  His feet paused, the scent of the room taking over his mind and soul again.  His body tingled.

He missed Nikko.

He remembered being close to Nikko, laying next to Nikko, feeling Nikko by his side, all the time.  He remembered Nikko's body, so small, cute, _delicious_.  Then Knight's genital went hard, growing erect.  That hadn't happened in weeks – he had almost forgotten how uncomfortable it was.  He reached down and ran a hand over it, pressing into it.  It felt good; it made him want more, _need_ more.

He pressed harder, rubbing himself through his shorts, and he felt his body go hot as a moaned ' _yiff_ ' escaped from him.  But it wasn't enough – could never _be_ enough.  Touching it only made it worse, made it hurt more, made him want to _do_ more.

His hand stopped, fell, and he lumbered out of the room with plodding steps.

Bishop sat on the floor – which he preferred to the couch – and seemed to be waiting patiently, but as soon as Knight came into the living room, Bishop's head perked up, nose quivering.  No doubt, he could smell the state Knight was in, could smell how badly Knight's body needed release.  And that was fine.

And it was fine – no, it was _good_ – when Bishop's own scent rose to meet Knight's, as if reacting to Knight's arousal.  Because Bishop was pretty and Bishop was nice once he got to know someone.  Knight liked Bishop.  And most importantly, Bishop was an _animal_ , like Knight was.  There were no rules against being with Bishop.

Knight kneeled in front of Bishop and they stared at each other for a moment, until Knight reached up and pushed Bishop down.  When Bishop was on his back, Knight crawled in between his legs and pressed their hips together.  Bishop was hard too, and Knight rubbed their erections against each other, sending jolts of pleasure through him.

"Bishop..." Knight whimpered as he leaned down, putting his face close to the dog's.  "Bishop, let's...  Let's socialize."  He pressed, pressed harder, his body almost moving on its own.  His eyes were drawn to that little spot by Bishop's mouth – his 'mole' – then traveled over to Bishop's lips.  They were small, pink, soft.  Knight leaned in closer, going for a kiss.

Bishop turned his head, and Knight stopped.  All movement paused, both going stock-still.  In that moment, Knight was pretty sure even his heart had stopped.

"No," Bishop said softly.

Tears sprang to Knight's eyes.  "Why...?"

"Because...  I'm not the one you're in love with."

Knight pulled away, moving back to sit on his butt and press his hands to his eyes as he began to cry.  It wasn't because of the rejection or even the frustration – it was because, somehow, those were the words he wanted to hear.  It was the confirmation.  All this time, one failed socialization attempt after another, he had been right.  It was no good if it wasn't Nikko.  He only wanted Nikko.

He was in love with Nikko.

"Bishop," he croaked out through his closed-off throat.  Then he pulled his hands away to look at Bishop with pleading eyes.  Knight was supposed to be the strong one – supposed to be the big brother – but right then he felt very, very weak.

"What do I do?"


	26. Right Where You Belong

 

 

 

He was pissed, honestly, and grew more so with every step.  This was why he didn't trust people.  This was why he didn't especially care to be around people; they always let him down.  Animals were so much better.

Ginger had called him, saying she desperately needed his help with something, though she wouldn't say what.  She just said that it was something only he could do, and he went, because he was stupid and actually thought he had found someone he could trust.  He went, because that's what he did when someone called for him, even though it never quite worked the other way around.  He went, because he was a pathetic, lame pushover, unable to say no.

He got to Ginger's apartment only to find a note taped to the door.  ' _Sorry, Nikko!  Something came up and we'll have to call that thing off!  Next time!_ '  It was as if they'd had plans together, rather than him going out of his way to help her.

And he was _pissed_.

The least she could have done was called or sent a text before he walked all the way to her place, only to turn right around and walk all the way home.  It was an hour out of his life that he would never get back.  He dripped with sweat, shirt sticking gross against his back – god, he hated summer – and it only made him angrier at everything.

His apartment was dark when he got home, which was odd.  Knight and Bishop had both been home when he left, facing off in a Smash Bros. deathmatch.  Perhaps they had gone for a walk, or perhaps they had gone to the library, but with all the lights off, the place was eerily dark.

He flicked the light switch by the door, illuminating the hallway before taking off his shoes, yet the place was still freakishly quiet, as if the apartment itself were holding its breath.  Then he moved to the living room, touching more light switches as he went.

" _Surprise_!"

Nikko's eyes went wide and his jaw dropped open in shock.  His apartment was full of decorations, presents, and _friends_.  They were cheering for him, smiling for him, calling out "Happy Birthday!" to him.  They wore silly hats for him and showered him with confetti and love.

Hot tears began to pour down his face.

"Oh my god, Nikko!"  Ginger, who was standing closest to him, wrapped an arm around Nikko's shoulders and squeezed even as she laughed.  "Are you okay?"

"Yeah."  He wiped his face with his arm.  "Just...  I've never gotten a surprise party in my life."  If he ever dared to celebrate his birthday, he had to throw a party himself, and even then people rarely came.  "This is...  It's..."  He sobbed, then stopped trying to speak.

Ginger squeezed him again.  "That's my little sap."

"I was _so_ mad at you!"

Ginger laughed louder, a lovely, pure sound.  "Sorry!  We needed time to decorate."

"Nikko..."  Knight came up to him next, looking concerned.  "I know you said not to bother, but...  I wanted to celebrate.  Nikko's birthday is important."

Nikko whimpered.  He wanted to go to Knight and hold him and thank him in every way possible, but he couldn't.  Even if there wasn't a room full of people watching them, Knight likely wouldn't let him.  Even if Nikko would have let himself, Knight was still keeping distance between them.  Though, Knight had seemed happier and had a new aura of determination about him the past day or so, likely regarding this party, so that was good.  A smiling Knight was good.

"Thank you, Knight."  Nikko gave him a smile; everything was okay.  Then he turned his gaze up to his guests.  "Thanks, everyone.  I'm really happy."

There were more cheers, and then the party began.  Nikko did the rounds, greeting everyone and thanking them for coming.  It wasn't a huge blowout, by any means, but there were enough people to keep up a steady hum of background chatter and laughter.

Kent and Tina were there, Tina seeming to have agreed to a temporary truce with Penny.  Alice was there too, which was a little surprising, but not unwelcome.  Her snow-white kitten, Jerry, kept trying to poke at Bishop, who was shying away from everyone, but Ben kept him mostly in check.  Even Jack was there, still looking professional despite the casual gathering.  His doberman... friend or guard or whatever was never more than a step behind him.

Nikko was happy and relieved to see Noella, along with Ruka and Toto both.  Toto's long ears, which usually flopped down just because they were so large and heavy, were pulled back and tied with a hair tie.  With a little fluffing and once his hair grew a bit longer, he would look like a regular human guy with a ponytail.

Ruka's ears, on the other hand, stayed down without a tie, butt Nikko didn't miss Noella giving Ruka a gesture.  She put a finger to her head and then rotated her hand until the finger pointed straight up, and as if on cue, Ruka's ears went up.  They were regressing him, making it seem like it _wasn't_ perfectly natural for his ears to stay down, and Nikko would bet money it was largely because Jack was there.

Buck, on the other hand, was not there.  Nikko didn't fault him for it, as he could perfectly picture the situation.  Knight would have said Buck could come, but Gus couldn't, and Buck would have declined the invitation, unwilling to let Gus be left out like that.  Nikko understood both sides of the situation, and though it was unfortunate, he didn't blame anyone.

They had cake, made by Kent and decorated beautifully by Tina, as well as ice cream – two different milk flavors, picked out by Ben and Jerry.  Then there were presents; some stationary and pens for work, a collection of flavored coffees, a calendar featuring baby animals.  When he opened the _gorgeous_ gray suit from Knight and Bishop, his jaw dropped for the second time that day.  Both Knight's and Bishop's tails wagged out of control at Nikko's expression.  When he asked where in the world they got the money for it, however, Knight only said that it was a secret.

 

 

 

Thankfully, everyone helped clean up when the surprise party came to a close.  It seemed like an impossible task to get all of the confetti out of the carpet, but Kent's skills with a vacuum were nothing short of impressive.  And instead of a war, Tina and Penny actually worked as allies in dish-washing.  Ben managed to keep Jerry's head out of discarded boxes long enough for Alice to get them in the garbage, while Ruka rode on Toto's shoulders to take down the high-up decorations.  By the time they said their last goodbyes, the place was cleaner than it had ever been, which was the best present yet.

The activity of the day made the quiet of the night seem all the more pervasive.

Nikko pulled his shirt off as he got ready for bed, tossing it in the direction of the chair.  It missed, but he couldn't find it in him to care.  He had already brushed his teeth and said goodnight to his students, exhaustion prompting him to turn in a bit early – if one in the morning could be considered 'early' – despite being on his single week of summer vacation.  As he pushed his covers to the end of the bed, knowing he wouldn't need them in this heat, he heard his door click open and closed.

Knight stood there, looking down, looking scared.  He hadn't come into Nikko's room for weeks, so it was a bit of a surprise to see him.  With a lifted brow, Nikko asked "Knight?  Are you alright?"

"Mm..."  Knight nodded, fidgeted.  "I...  I wanted to tell Nikko..."  He looked up then, meeting Nikko's gaze.  "Happy birthday!"

Nikko smiled, heart blooming and burning even hotter for his fox.  "Thank you, Knight.  And thank you for the party and the gift.  It all... means a lot to me."

"Nikko..."

When Knight didn't say anything else, Nikko turned back to his bed, giving the fox his out to leave if he wanted.  "Well, good nigh-"

He was grabbed from behind, pulled tightly to Knight's body.  Long arms wrapped around him, holding him in place, making Nikko feel surrounded and protected.  "Hey, Nikko..." Knight said as he pressed his cheek against Nikko's head.

"What is it, Knight?"

"Nikko...  I love you."

The whole world and Nikko's breathing stopped.  His throat wouldn't work; he was going to cry; he was going to die.  He choked out a "Kn-Knight-  You-  You don't-"

"Nikko, listen!"  Knight's voice had gone tight, crying already as his arms tightened around Nikko further.  "I know there are a lot of things I don't understand because I'm just a fox, but I understand this now!  I mean..."  His hold loosened a bit.  "Bishop explained it to me."

"Knight..."

"I know you don't believe I can fall in love, but I can.  And I love Nikko!  Not like a parent and child, or an owner and pet.  Nikko!  I love you like a lover!  I want to marry Nikko!"  His embrace tightened again, even as he leaned down to press his face into Nikko's neck.  "Please believe me..."

And Nikko did.  How could he not?  He had seen all the signs, and not just in Knight.  He had seen so many examples of the students – the _animals_ – being capable of romantic love; he would be stupid to keep denying it.  He would be cruel to keep denying it, especially after Knight just laid himself bare.  And honestly, he didn't want to anymore.  He was tired of pining, tired of denying the both of them.

Knight was going to leave him one day anyway; may as well make the very best of the time they had while they could.

"Knight," Nikko started as he reached up to find Knight's hands, covering them with his own.  "I..."  He finished with a whisper.  "I love you too."

"Nikko!"  Knight laughed as he lifted Nikko up, spinning him around in place.  That laugh made all the hardships they were about to endure absolutely worth it.

"Woah, Knight, calm down!" Nikko said as he was lifted onto the bed, forced to walk forward on his knees as Knight climbed up behind him.  "We need-!"  Then he squeaked embarrassingly in surprise when Knight pulled him onto his lap.  "We need to talk about this!"

Nikko's head was pulled back and Knight leaned up and over to kiss him, and though they really did need to talk, Nikko gave in to the kiss.  He had missed kissing Knight _so much_ , missed the taste and the warmth and the feeling of Knight's lips.  And when Knight opened his mouth, Nikko gave in to that too, savoring the delicious feel of Knight's tongue sliding along his own that made his whole body burn with longing.

With his left arm wrapped tightly around Nikko's chest, Knight's right arm moved down, sliding over his thigh to cup Nikko's cock, kneading the blossoming erection.  Nikko moaned, trying to fight the pleasure out of habit, knowing it was a lost cause.  As Knight continued to fondle him over his shorts, Nikko began to thrust up into the large hand, seeking more gratification, more pleasure.

Then Knight broke the kiss, though his face stayed close.  "Nikko, can I socialize with you?"

Nikko nodded without hesitation.  "Yes, Knight.  Yes.  Please."  He wanted it so badly.

Knight chuckled lightly and sat up on his knees, dumping Nikko out of his lap, onto his hands and knees.  Without further preamble, Knight pulled down Nikko's shorts and underwear together, tossing them aside, leaving Nikko exposed.  For a moment, Nikko felt like he was the animal, standing nude on all-fours, waiting for his handler to do with him what he will.  Then he heard the rustling, felt the movement of Knight's own clothes being removed, and then they were both animals, ready to do what their primal instincts were calling for them to do.  They were even, equals.

He didn't know what he had been expecting, but it certainly wasn't for Knight to grab his ass cheeks and spread him open.  He certainly didn't expect Knight's hot tongue to slide along his crack, lapping at his hole.  He just barely managed to gasp out "Kn-Knight!" when that tongue dipped inside him.

A few passes more, impatient and desperate, and then Knight pulled back.  "Maybe it's wet now."

It wasn't – not nearly enough – but Nikko didn't want to stop.  He had gone with less in the past.  He just wanted Knight, now.

Knight bent over him then, wrapping arms around Nikko's body.  He purred out a "Nikko..." as his erection poked at Nikko's backside, looking for its mark.  Knight's instincts had brought him to the proper position, but his aim was off.  He missed Nikko's entrance, his dick instead going between Nikko's legs, sliding along Nikko's balls.  It felt nice, an erotic caress, but wasn't what either of them really wanted.

Knight moved his hips more, poked around more, and eventually growled in frustration when he couldn't find what he was looking for.  So Nikko reached back, nerves and need coursing through him, and took hold of Knight's erection, leading him into place.  He continued to hold the hard flesh as Knight began to push, _push_ , and when the head of Knight's cock finally entered him, Nikko cried out loudly.

"Are you okay, Nikko!?"  Knight's hips stilled while his arms held Nikko tighter.

Nikko brought his hand down to stabilize himself.  His body burned – it was so _tight_ – but he could handle it.  And he was happy.  "Yeah, I'm okay," he said through gasping breaths.  "Just...  Go slowly."

There was a pause, a moment of stillness, and then Knight began to move again.  Slowly, slowly.  Inch by glorious inch, Knight eased himself into Nikko's body.  His arms squeezed Nikko tighter every time a bolt of pleasure struck through him, letting Nikko know just how good Knight was feeling.  It made Nikko's heart pound harder.

When their hips were pressed flush against each other, Knight stopped.  His breathing came in soft pants; his heartbeat ran wild against Nikko's back; small whimpers sounded from the back of his throat.  "Nikko..." he whined.  "Nikko feels so good."

"Knight too," Nikko breathed.  They fit together perfectly; Knight filled him up like they were made for each other, like their bodies were designed to go together.  "You feel good inside me."

A happy sound came from Knight as he managed to hold Nikko even tighter, and then his hips began to move again.  He started off slow, as if getting the hang of it, using his arms to pull Nikko's body onto him as much as his hips pushed into him.  But soon enough, the pace picked up.  Knight found his rhythm, thrusting and panting, growling in pleasure.

Nikko was overwhelmed.  His Knight felt so good, hitting that spot inside that made him see stars over and over.  Knight's voice in his ear was just as good, that lovely, gentle voice making not-so-gentle sounds.  Nikko's body and mind were full of Knight, driving him rapidly to the brink, and he reached down to stroke his own needy erection.

It was too much.  Too much.  Nikko pumped himself hard, unable to think or breathe, and the whole world exploded into white.  He came with a cry of Knight's name, shooting his seed onto the bed, stream after stream unending.

Knight was right behind him, chanting "Nikko...  Nikko...  Nikko..." which each thrust.  Then his voice hitched, becoming a whimper.  "Nikko-!  Something-!  Something is-!"  His whole body locked up, dick pressed fully into Nikko's body.  He cried out, loud, as he came hard, spilling inside Nikko.  Then his cry tapered off into a keening whine, then a strangled breath, and then they both collapsed onto the bed.

They panted, breaths harsh as their bodies lay still connected, entwined.  And even after they had each caught their breath, they stayed like that.  Nikko loved having Knight laying over him – it made him feel safe, made his anxiety quell and gave him relief from the constant fear that plagued his mind.  He felt protected, even if he had more to worry about than ever now.

Eventually, Knight stirred, his nose digging into Nikko's neck, planting a kiss.  "Nikko?"

"Yes?"

"I'm very happy."

Nikko chuckled.  "Me too."  Then he pushed himself up a bit, enough to indicate he wanted to move, and Knight took the hint.  Lifting himself off of Nikko, Knight's dick finally slid out of Nikko's body.  It came out easily, no knot or anything like that, because Knight was human.

They sat up, and when Knight saw the wet spot beneath Nikko, he gasped.  "I didn't taste Nikko!"

Nikko almost laughed, but kept it at an amused smile.  "Next time."

"Next time?"

"Yeah."  Because there would be a next time.  And there would be a time after that, and after that.  There would be many times, until the day Knight was taken from him.  And then his smile fell.  "Knight...  I'm scared.  And I know you know, but...  But..."

"I won't tell anyone.  It's our secret."

Nikko sighed, though it held little relief.  "Right."

"Ah, and Bishop's too."  Even as Knight said it, Nikko figured as much.  It would have been impossible to hide it from the dog anyway, seeing as he lived with them, and was one of the first things they needed to deal with in regards to their new relationship.  "It was Bishop's idea," Knight continued quietly.  "He said I should confess to you.  I'm really glad he's so smart!"

Nikko's smile came back, and he reached up to rub at one of Knight's soft ears.  Knight leaned into the touch, and his tail thumped against the bed.  These strange animal parts caused them so much trouble, yet Nikko adored them.

"Will you sleep here tonight?" Nikko finally asked, softly.

"If Nikko wants me to."

"I do."  He wanted Knight to sleep by his side every night, for the rest of forever.

"Then, I will."


	27. Scientific Method

Though they had fallen asleep wrapped around each other, when Nikko woke up in the middle of the night, he and Knight had separated, a breadth of space between them.  It wasn't surprising; it was far too hot to share body heat, and yet another reason for Nikko to despise summer.

The bed dipped as someone climbed up – it was the door opening that had awoken him – and for a moment Nikko was bewildered and frightened, until he spotted folded puppy ears in silhouette.  "Bishop?"

The dog was silent, sitting at Nikko's feet.

"Did we... keep you up?" Nikko asked softly.  Knowing Bishop knew about him and Knight meant he didn't have to explain anything, though they would still need to talk later.  "I'm sorry."

For a while, Bishop remained still and silent, until he suddenly lurched forward, grabbing Nikko's still-bare legs and pushing them up, exposing him.  Nikko felt a line of Knight's cum trickle out of him, and he flushed hot as he began to squirm.

"Bishop, no!" he hissed, trying to be quiet.  Knight was right next to them, and he wasn't exactly a heavy sleeper.  "Don't!"  He really couldn't go through this again.

Bishop didn't listen, and a moment later he leaned in and licked away the seed at Nikko's hole.  Then Bishop buried his tongue inside.

Nikko clamped a hand over his mouth to keep himself from crying out as Bishop lapped at his insides.  That tongue seemed impossibly long as it cleaned him out, though that may have just been a lust-induced hallucination.  Nikko's cock had gone hard again, growing needy as he was eaten out.

Then, just as suddenly as he began, Bishop pulled away, dropping Nikko's legs.  Nikko looked down, eyes adjusted to the dark, to see Bishop lick his lips then quietly stare off to the side.

"Bishop..." Nikko said through lightly panting breaths.  "That's...  You can't..."

"Just once..." Bishop said, and they both went silent.  Heartbeats passed, and finally Bishop finished with "Just once...  I wanted to taste him."  Then he slid off the bed and left the room without another word.

Nikko stared at the dark ceiling a moment, and then all at once he understood.  His heart squeezed painfully.   He was an idiot; he told himself that over and over as he carefully got out of bed, pulled on his shorts, and followed Bishop to his room.

There was only a single lamp illuminating the room.  When Nikko went in, Bishop was kneeling on his bed, apparently just about to mount his pillow again.  Cheeks pink and erection throbbing, Nikko fought to make his voice normal as he asked "Can we talk?"

Bishop stared at his pillow a moment, then nodded even as he began tugging down his pajama pants.

" _Without_ the pillow!  ... Please."

Bishop paused, but ultimately sat back, leaving his plush lover alone.  His hands fell to his lap and his gaze followed, unwilling to look up at Nikko.

Nikko sighed.  "Bishop, you're...  You're in love with Knight, aren't you?"  He didn't get any more than the expected nod, but it made his heart hurt all the same.  He was beginning to wonder if there were any animals _not_ in love with Knight.  "I'm _so_ sorry."

"I understand... everything," Bishop said slowly, quietly.

"Bishop?"

"You didn't bring me here to be his brother; you brought me to be his mate.  You wanted he and I to fall in love so he wouldn't keep wanting you."  Then Bishop finally looked up at Nikko.  "It half worked."

Having his failed and cruel plan recited back at him was like a knife to Nikko's guilty conscious.  He wanted to crawl under a rock and die, but all he could do was admit his wrongdoing.  "It's true," he said in a tight voice.  "This whole time, I've just been using you.  I-  I thought it would be better for him to have someone he could actually be with.  I didn't mean for you to get hurt, and-"  He choked.  "And I wouldn't blame you if you hate me.  If you want to leave, I understand, but-"  Then his tears broke free.  He was despicable.

Bishop's eyes turned away again.  "I don't hate you.  I like you... very much."

Relief surged through Nikko, making him realize just how important Bishop had become to him.  "Really?"

"Yes.  You're very funny."

Nikko's brows slanted up.  "I... think I'm pretty average."

"I had thought this process would be very scary, but you've put me at ease every step of the way.  So...  I thank you.  And I'd like to stay, if it's all right."

And Nikko smiled, stepping closer.  "That would make me happy."  He reached, itching to scratch behind a fuzzy puppy ear.

Bishop leaned away.  "Please don't touch me."

"Right."  Nikko withdrew.  "Sorry."  Bishop was still Bishop, after all.  "Are you going to be alright?  With me and Knight, I mean..."

There was a moment of silence, and then Bishop answered a quiet "Yes.  I want him to be happy..."

Nikko's heart warmed.

Somehow, he had been blessed with _two_ amazing and thoughtful students.

 

 

 

 

He slipped back into bed as quietly as possible, but just as he settled down, two long, strong arms slid around him.  He was pulled to Knight, tucked against him.  Knight's groin pressed against Nikko's hip, erect again.

"Nikko..." Knight whimpered as he squirmed against Nikko.

"Knight-"

"Nikko, let's do it again!"

 

 

 

 

Scene Twenty-Seven  


 

 

 

 

He was happy – _ecstatic_.  He was floating on cloud nine.  He was in Heaven.

He was _exhausted_.

Knight's energy seemed endless, and now that he could lay with Nikko, he wanted it _all_ the _time_.  As soon as Nikko woke up, Knight was rubbing against him.  While trying to make lunch, Knight would sniff at and grind against him, and right after they had eaten Knight would drag him to the bedroom.  Then at least once before bed, usually more.  A couple times Knight woke him up in the middle of the night, hard, whimpering, needy.

Nikko couldn't keep up.

By the afternoon of their first day as a couple – the thought still sent butterflies into a tizzy in his stomach – Nikko knew they would need some... supplies.  _Lots_ of... supplies.  So he left Knight with Bishop, indicating that they should talk, and then headed off to the drugstore.

He didn't know if Knight understood Bishop's feelings for him; he didn't know if Knight knew the whole reason Bishop had advised him to confess was so that Bishop himself would have a chance to taste Knight's seed through Nikko.  Nikko still flushed warm when he remembered the dog's tongue delving inside him.  Thankfully, Bishop had promised never to do it again; he went into it knowing he would only get that one hit.

Honestly, Nikko still felt bad for Bishop.  He wanted the dog to be happy, and he wanted Knight to be happy too.  It was unfortunate that triangles rarely left everyone satisfied.

At the drugstore, Nikko cautiously made his way over to the sexual aids section, peeking around the corner to make sure the aisle was clear before creeping over to where the lubricants were.  He quickly grabbed two larger-volume boxes of a brand he knew worked well and tossed them into the basket he carried, then after a moment of hesitation, grabbed two more.  An endcap display sold bags of candy, and Nikko grabbed a couple of those as well, mostly just to cover all the packages of lube he had as he made his way through the store.  He didn't realize how suspicious that potentially looked until he was unloading his basked for the cashier.

Face burning, he paid for his items, grabbed the plastic bag, and _ran_ out of the store.

It wasn't easy for Nikko to have to _teach_ his lover about sex.  Knight moved on instinct, and his body only knew one position.  Nikko wasn't too worried about that – they could explore more later, if fate allowed them the time – but he did have to tell Knight all about lube and how to use it, as well as how to prepare Nikko's body so he didn't get hurt.

It was embarrassing, despite everything they had been through, to sit there in the dim bedroom – illuminated by only the bedside lamp instead of the overhead light – and rub the lubricant gel over Knight's fingers.  He wanted to die as he turned and spread himself for Knight, showing him what to do by doing it to himself, pushing one, then two fingers into himself while Knight watched attentively.  He only felt marginally better when Knight took over, but then they both got the hang of it, and Nikko felt very, very good.

He had to put his foot down and start saying no when work started up again.  Knight was crushed the first time Nikko pushed him away, thinking he wasn't wanted anymore.  There were tears, his crybaby fox so scared of rejection, until Nikko soothed them away with pettings and kisses, assuring Knight that that wasn't the case; he wasn't being rejected.  It was simply a matter of Nikko not wanting to go to work tired and smelling like sex.  He couldn't stand in front of a class of ten-year-olds with his ass full of fox cum.

When Knight asked if he could taste Nikko instead, Nikko consented, and Knight was satisfied.  He still dragged Nikko off to the bedroom as soon as he came home, though, hardly giving him a chance to pull off his shoes and call out a greeting to Bishop as they went.

Somehow, they found their pace, their new routine, and Nikko felt like he had finally settled down.  He wondered what his family would say if he told them he had found someone at last.  Probably, they would claim they were happy for him; they would congratulate him on growing up, then ask when he would start having or adopting babies.

Even if he was in the mood to put up with that – and he wasn't – he couldn't tell them anyway.  He couldn't tell Ginger or Buck, either, and when his new students at school asked if he was married or had a girlfriend, he had to say no.  He couldn't tell anyone, and it hurt.  He told himself that it didn't mean his and Knight's relationship wasn't real, but it sure didn't feel good to have to deny it to the world.

He wished they could go out and date like real couples did.

Well...

That... perhaps they could do.

It wasn't like they couldn't go out together.  They had done so plenty of times; it wouldn't be any different now, except that they would fuck when they got home.

It was silly and stupid, but once he got it into his head, Nikko really wanted to do it.  He wanted to take Knight on a date.  He started thinking – maybe more like daydreaming – about it, wondering where they would go, what they would do.  He wasn't purposely putting a plan together, but before he knew it, he had one.

There was a science museum in the city.  One of those fun, hands-on kinds, with many exhibits to touch and interact with.  Nikko went there at least once a year on field trips with his classes, and he had yet to come across anyone who didn't enjoy the place.  It was both educational and entertaining; it was right up Knight's alley.

...  Bishop would love it.

No matter which way he looked at it, it would be horribly inconsiderate to take Knight but not Bishop.  Both of them were his students, even if his relationship with each of them was different.  He thought about inviting Ginger and Penny too, so Bishop could go without feeling like a third wheel, but then it wouldn't really be a date anymore.  At least with Bishop he didn't have to pretend his relationship with Knight was appropriate.

So he would take them both.  It was only fair.

He brought it up after dinner one night, once they had gathered in the living room for some nightly TV-watching and unwinding.  Nikko described what the museum was and told them all about what was there, and Knight's eyes began to shine.

"I want to go!  Can we go, Nikko!?"

"Yeah," Nikko answered with a smile.  He was helpless against Knight's excited face.  "I thought we could go this weekend."

"Yay!" Knight cheered, throwing his hands up.

Bishop, on the other hand, only turned away.  It was only after Nikko asked if he was alright that Bishop answered "I don't want to go."

"Are...  Are you sure?" Nikko asked, eyebrows creased in concern.

"You two... should go together."

Ah, Bishop was trying to be considerate.  It made Nikko's heart ache with an echo of loneliness.  "We want you to come too."

Bishop shook his head.  "I refuse."

"If you're sure..."  Nikko trailed off, and when Bishop nodded, he said "All right.  Knight and I will go to the museum this weekend, and then next weekend we'll all do something together.  How does that sound?"

Bishop nodded, and though the smile on his lips was tiny, his tail thumped against the floor happily.  Nikko was relieved, pleased, and quite happy.

For once, things seemed to work out nice and easy.

 

 

 

 

Knight _loved_ the science museum.  His eyes darted about when they first entered, as if desperately trying to figure out what he wanted to touch first, as excited as any of the children there.  Nikko barely had their tickets in hand before Knight dragged him to the first exhibit.

Technology was first, closest to the entrance.  Though it wasn't Knight's favorite discipline of science, he was plenty intrigued by the exhibit that sent jolts of electricity through his body to power a light bulb, and he laughed with amusement and joy when he got to control a robot, making it wave at Nikko.  From there they trickled into a replica display of a space shuttle, Knight waiting patiently in line to see if he could fit into the astronaut bed.

In the space exhibit, Knight showed off his knowledge of all the planet names, and was shocked at the scale model, realizing for the first time just how small the Earth really was.  There was a planetarium in the area, but it cost extra money, so Nikko carefully did not bring it up.  Knight didn't seem to notice as they slid by the entrance, overly eager to press his face against a display case holding a real moon rock.

By far Knight's favorite section was nature and animals, leading from the Earth science exhibits.  A fun quiz set up on a bank of computers was no match for all the animal-related trivia in Knight's head.  A perfect score earned him a special certificate, and Nikko was sure he had never seen Knight glow brighter.  They tucked the certificate between the pages of a notebook Nikko carried in his bag to keep it flat and un-creased so that Knight could display it at home.

In the biology exhibit, Knight was able to put together a replica model of the human body almost perfectly, though he had considerably less luck with the model eyeball that fell apart in his hands.  He quickly put the pieces back on the display table and walked away, playing innocent, making Nikko laugh.

They held hands when they walked from one exhibit to the next, though they often separated temporarily when different things caught each of their interests.  Though holding hands was nothing new for them, it felt a bit different now.  They were a couple now – sort of – and the intimate gesture was officially one of romance.  And they got stares, they got snickers and fingers pointed at them, but Nikko wouldn't give up that hand.  Not anymore.

Nikko had let Knight wander away while he read a display about the effects drugs had on the human body, and less than a minute later he heard commotion that gave him a bad feeling.  Immediately searching for Knight, he found the fox had discovered an X-ray and stuck his head in it, laughing at the image of himself that had been projected onto a screen.  But the screen also showed to everyone else exactly what was under the poofy newsboy cap Knight wore.  The horns sprouting from his skull made for a somewhat demonic picture, and while Nikko loved Knight's horns as he loved every part of Knight, he couldn't blame people for thinking they were seeing some kind of monster.

He rushed over and grabbed Knight's arm, pulling the fox away.  "Come on," he said.  Then he forced his voice to go too loud as he added "The _lining of your hat_ is scaring people."

"I could see my skull, Nikko!  It was funny!"  Knight laughed, but it faded away when Nikko pulled him around a corner and stopped.  "Nikko...  Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he sighed.  "But, Knight..."  He looked up then, seeing Knight's worried face.  But this was supposed to be their date; Knight shouldn't have to be worried.  There was nothing to be worried _about_ ; nobody had chased after them with Bibles and pitchforks; nobody had screamed for the police or an exorcist.  They were fine.  Knight was fine.  So Nikko smiled, reached up to tug at one of the longer locks of Knight's hair.  "It was pretty funny."

Knight's face lit up again.  "Nikko should try it!"

"Nah," Nikko answered as he folded their fingers together again and resumed walking.  "My head is shaped weird."

"No, it's not!  Nikko's head is perfect!"

Nikko laughed at how offended Knight sounded, then pointed at a special exhibit up ahead.  "How about that?"

A set of propped-open doors led to a dark hallway that veered to the right.  Overhead was a banner that read 'Marvels of the Human Body' and had a picture of a realistic-looking science model.  It seemed like something Knight would find interesting.

"Human body..." Knight read slowly.  Then he nodded, saying "Okay.  Let's go see."

When they got to the entrance doors, however, Knight stopped dead in his tracks.  His nose quivered and his eyes went wide; he began to shake his head slowly as he backed away from the exhibit.

"Knight?"  Nikko gave his hand a squeeze.  "Are you alright?"

"I...  I don't want to go in there."  He pulled Nikko's hand.  "Let's go somewhere else."

"What's wrong?"

"Please!"  Knight pulled harder.

"Okay.  It's okay."  He squeezed Knight's hand again and led them in another direction, away from the exhibit.  He had no idea what could have set Knight off, but the fox was clearly upset.  While it made Nikko even more interested in what was down that dark hallway, he wasn't going to hurt Knight just to satisfy his own curiosity.

They went to the chemistry corner instead, Nikko leading Knight to a bubble display.  Knight swished a little, plastic wand around in the soapy water for a while, seeming to find solstice in it, much like when he dug in his sandbox.  When Nikko took up another wand and gently blew into it, releasing a stream of crystal bubbles, Knight's eyes went wide.  He lifted his own wand, blew, and his earlier worry seemed to fly away with the bubbles he had created.  Ever resilient, Knight began to smile, then laugh, as he and Nikko got into a bubble-blowing war.

There was a cafeteria in the museum, full of a variety of overpriced, low-quality foods to choose from.  They stopped there for lunch, each taking up a tray and browsing what was available.  Knight got an egg-salad sandwich and fries; Nikko went for tuna and potato chips.  They shared their food as they ate, despite the nearly identical lunches, and it absolutely felt very date-like.

They stopped by the gift shop and picked up a book for Bishop and some astronaut ice cream for Knight, and then Knight whispered that he had to use the bathroom.  Backtracking to where the restrooms were, near the chemistry corner, they found themselves faced with a long line.  Even the men's room had a wait, likely due to its proximity to the cafeteria and the large number of children visiting that day.  Weekends were always so crowded.

They queued up, waited silently a bit, took a step when the line did, and waited more.

"Thank you for bringing me here," Knight said suddenly, tiny smile on his face.  "I'm having a lot of fun."

Nikko smiled back.  "I'm glad.  Thank you for coming with me."  Then they fell to warm, companionable silence, took another step forward, and Nikko's eyes began to roam about.

Just around the corner from where they were was that exhibit that had scared Knight.  Nikko had almost forgotten about it, but found himself curious again.  Perhaps he could take a moment to run over there and see what was up while Knight waited for the bathroom.  Real quick.

"Knight, would you mind if I went and looked at something while you're waiting?"

Knight turned curious eyes to him.  "Something?"

"Yeah," Nikko replied.  He wouldn't say what he wanted to look at, though.  "I wanted to take a closer look at an exhibit I skipped over.  If you want me to stay here with you, though, it's okay."

As expected, Knight shook his head.  "Nikko can go.  I don't mind."

He figured that would be the answer, though Nikko really would have stayed if Knight asked him to.  "You're sure?"

"Yes!"  Knight smiled.  "I can use a bathroom all by myself!"  Nearby people likely thought he was being sarcastic; Nikko knew Knight's declaration was sincere and a point of pride.

Nikko smiled.  "All right.  I won't be long, but if I'm not out here when you're finished, just call me.  Okay?"

"Okay!"

"All right..."  Nikko was almost reluctant to leave, but let his curiosity pull him away.

The hallway to the special exhibit was short, but once Nikko cleared it he immediately saw why there was a hallway at all.  The 'Marvels of the Human Body' exhibit used real human cadavers – some of them complete, some only pieces – to give patrons an authentic look at how the human body worked.  A glance back at the hall and Nikko saw there _was_ a sign, though it was a bit on the too-small side, warning about what the exhibit contained and that it might not be appropriate for all guests.

Nikko realized very quickly why the exhibit had disturbed Knight – why the poor fox couldn't even make it through the doors.

He could smell death.

Plastinated as they were, they were still real bodies, once living humans who used to have names and stories of their own.  Though they wouldn't decay, there must have been something in the bodies on display that an animal's sensitive nose could pick up.  It may not have even been something physical, but Knight had felt it, and it had frightened him.

The exhibit didn't bother Nikko.  Rather, he was fascinated by such things; he always had been.  He loved science, loved learning about the hidden inner-workings of living things.  It was one thing to read about it in textbooks and look at drawn diagrams, but seeing it for real was something else.  It was _amazing_ , the way muscles and tendons attached to bone, the way organs fit perfectly alongside each other, the way nerves spread from the top of the head all the way to the tip of the toes, and the way everything worked perfectly together to give life and create a human being.

It was cool, for sure.

Nikko kept his phone in hand as he browsed the displays, in case Knight called.  Though he was trying to be quick, he couldn't help but want to look at everything.  Somehow, he had browsed his way to the back of the special exhibition room, looking at a bisected display of an inner-ear, when he heard Knight's voice from outside the exhibit.

"Nikko!  Where are you!?"  And then again, closer.  "Nikko!"

His eyes went wide.  "No..."  Nikko quickly turned and began to hustle towards the exhibit's doors.

"Nikko...  Are you... here...?"

He had meant for Knight to call him by phone, not to call for him out loud.  Not to search for him.  If Knight followed his scent here, followed him to this place...

"Nikko...?"

No!  Don't come!

"Ni-"

He was still several feet away from the entrance when he saw Knight step cautiously from the short hallway into the open exhibition area.  Knight's eyes were like saucers and his body went stiff as he looked in horror from one skinless exhibit to the next.  He trembled visibly, jaw agape, looking like he had just stepped into a nightmare.

Nikko ran to him, grabbed his arm, dragged him back down the hallway and out the exhibit doors.  Knight had already begun to cry by the time they were far away from the 'Marvels of the Human Body'.

"Ni-  Nikko...  Those people..."

"I know, Knight.  It's okay."

"They were all dead!"

"Knight, it's okay."  Nikko spoke calmly as he pulled Knight into an out-of-the-way corner and sat him down.  He tucked Knight against him, let the disturbed fox press his face into his chest.

"Nikko, I'm scared!"

Nikko's arms wrapped around Knight, holding him tightly.  His hand ran up and down along Knight's arm to soothe and calm him.  "I know."

Though it had been an accident – he really hadn't thought Knight would follow him – Nikko felt guilty.  He shouldn't have gone in there; once he knew what it was, he should have left and come back to the museum alone on another day.  Or he should have been more explicitly clear for Knight to wait by the bathrooms and call him on the phone.  In the very least, he should have been faster in his exploration of the exhibit.  He should have thought everything through better, but he hadn't, and his punishment was having his heart break over Knight's cries.

The people who passed by them stared, raising brows at the two men cuddled in a corner.  Nikko was all too aware of their judgmental gazes, but he didn't let it stop his soothing pets; he didn't let Knight go.

Even after his sobs and shaking tapered off, Knight stayed pressed against Nikko.  His hand had found its way to Nikko's shirt, gripping a loose fistful of the material as he asked "Why do humans do that, Nikko?  Why do they put dead people in a museum?"

Nikko took a moment to word his answer, not sure if Knight would understand either way.  "Remember when we went hiking, and you really, really wanted to look all the animals up in your book?"  He felt Knight's nod, and continued.  "Humans want to know things too.  We want to know everything.  We already know so much about the world and nature, but it's more difficult for us to learn about ourselves and what's inside of us.  So when some people found a way to see inside bodies and share that with others, they began putting those bodies on display, so everyone can see and learn."

"But...  They're scary..."

A smile came to Nikko's lips.  "I suppose so, but it's also very interesting."

"Nikko isn't scared?"

"Not of those.  I'm scared of other things, though."

"You're scared of water."

Nikko chuckled.  Knight knew him well.  "True."

"And you're scared of identity theft."

"Also true."

"And you're scared of going up, but you're not scared of being in high places."

"Right again."

Knight sat back then.  His face was red, tear-stained, and his hat had gone crooked, but at least he finally smiled again.  "Nikko is weird!"

Nikko laughed.  "Maybe a little."  The smile on Knight's face meant everything to him.  "But do you know what scares me the most?"

"What?"  Knight's eyes were wide.

"The thought of losing you."

Lip quivering again, Knight suddenly pounced, rubbing his face against Nikko's chest.  "Nikko!  You'll never lose me!  I'll make sure of it!"

Nikko's smile turned bittersweet.  The sentiment was nice, but he didn't know what Knight thought he could do.  He couldn't just refuse to leave; that could end up with Nikko getting sued by the company, or worse.  There was nothing they could do to stay together, short of running away.  But...

But...

That wasn't something Nikko could do.  He wasn't strong enough, didn't know how to disappear from the world.  He couldn't just leave Bishop or his job behind.  He didn't know how to start a new life, even if it was with Knight.

His greatest fear would come to be some day, and there was nothing he could do but cling to Knight _now_ , while he still had him.

He kissed the top of Knight's head just as a large shadow loomed over them.  Nikko looked up to see a man standing over them, looking stern.  Nikko's heart raced, afraid of an altercation, and he stood up.

"Now look," the man said before Nikko could even get a word out.  "I don't have a problem with you gays, but you need to keep it private.  My kid there-"  He pointed a thumb towards a young boy watching from afar.  "Well, he saw your little moment there and now he's asking questions I don't want to answer."

"I-"  Nikko was about to apologize out of habit, but he stopped himself.  He didn't want to apologize – he didn't have to.  They hadn't done anything wrong.  "We weren't in anyone's way."  He clenched his fist to keep his hand from shaking.

"Nobody wants to see your faggotry."

Knight stood then, rising up to his full height.  He scowled down at the man, brim of his hat throwing his eyes in shadow, dark.  "Don't be mean to Nikko," he said, a growl finding its way into his voice.

A tense moment passed, a few passers-by stopped to see what was going on with the two men facing off, and Nikko's stomach roiled with fear.  He knew Knight was protective, but it would be bad if he got into a fight here.  He was just about to pull Knight away, let the man have his way, when the man stood down.  He spat out a "Fucking faggots" as he turned and headed back to his family.

Nikko snorted.  That kid was going to turn out _real_ well.

Knight latched onto his sleeve, anger bleeding out of his face, replaced with concern.  "Nikko, why was that man so angry?"

"Because..."  Because he didn't want to talk to his own child and decided it was Nikko's fault that he had to.  "Because he's a jerk."

Knight's eyes went wide.  "Nikko said a bad word!"

The laughter that bubbled out of Nikko was half of relief.  The tense atmosphere broke apart, leaving them to the rest of their date.  He would explain bigotry to Knight later, when they were acting as teacher and student again, but right then they were...

Nikko took Knight's hand.  If people didn't want to see their 'faggotry', they could look the other way.  "That is hardly a bad word, and I've said a lot worse."

They were _boyfriends_.


	28. As Long As We're Together

 

 

 

Today would be teriyaki burgers, for a change.  It wasn't much, but it would do.  She had thought she would lose weight when they went on the run, going hungry on days when money was tight, but fast food was cheap and shitty, and she found her body unchanged.  At least she hadn't gained any.

Not that Roco minded her body style.  Maybe because he wasn't human, but he never seemed to care one way or another how shapely she was or wasn't.  It was one of the things she loved about him.

She felt bad that she couldn't provide for him better.  She tried her best, but she had never been very feminine.  She couldn't cook and wasn't very pretty; she hated cleaning, and would make an awful wife.  Yet, for some reason when they started talking about graduating Roco, he refused.  He came to Wendy in the night, and in his gruff and quiet voice told her he would die without her.  He told her that being separated from her would be like being separated from his soul, un-survivable.

They made love that night, promising each other in ragged breaths that they would never part.

Somehow, Roco loved her, and as she stared at the Jaeger Burger take-out bags resting on the motel room's tiny table, she still wondered why.

It had been wrong and downright stupid to leave.  She had panicked, suddenly having another teacher appear before her, knowing her relationship with Roco.  She had freaked, imagining all too clearly the company coming and taking Roco away from her.  So they left.  She took out all the money she had in her bank account, maxed her credit cards with cash advances, and took a small share of her store's profits from the previous month before discreetly signing the business over to her best-friend and co-owner.

Then they left.  They left everything and everyone behind, and it was scary, but as long as Roco was by her side, she knew she could persevere.  He had strength for both of them.

It was only after they had left that she finally considered that maybe that guy – Nikko, or whatever his name was – wasn't out to blackmail her.  Maybe he only wanted to talk.  Maybe he had with Knight what she had with Roco – the fox had certainly spoken of him fondly enough.  But it was too late; if they went back now, Roco would definitely be taken from her, and she would likely be thrown in jail.

They had cash still, but were frugal with it.  Most of it went towards hotels – they could go hungry, but it would be dangerous without shelter.  Not that the shoddy motels they stayed at felt all that safe.  At least once they were woken at two in the morning by some strung-out stoner knocking on their door, looking for cigarettes.  When she said she didn't have any and moved to shut the door, the guy had pushed it open, trying to get in, asking if she had a boyfriend and refusing to believe her when she said she did.  It wasn't until Roco pulled her out of the way and snarled in the guy's face that they were finally left alone.  Wendy wondered if it wouldn't actually be safer to sleep outside.

Transportation was mostly on foot or hitchhiking, which worked out surprisingly well.  Drivers seemed to trust them because she was so small, and Wendy never felt threatened because Roco was there to protect her.  In the six months they had been on the run, they had met many people and heard many stories – the family going to Adventure Land, the college graduates on a road trip, the elderly couple on their third honeymoon – and it became a silver lining in their clouded journey.

In less densely populated areas, Roco could hunt, which saved them money, and in farming areas they could work – no questions asked, right alongside undocumented immigrants – for cash.  They could get by, if they were careful.

The past week Roco had been working in a lumberyard, the place willing to take a big, strong man on but saying they had no use for a tiny woman.  So Roco worked, and Wendy tried her best to play housewife in their dirty motel room.  Tomorrow Roco would get paid, so they could splurge a little bit and she would attempt to cook a real meal, with plenty of meat for her wolf.  Tonight she would give him a warm bath and massage his tired muscles.  It was all she could do, even if it could never be nearly enough.

She had been staring in the mirror, trying to scowl away the dark circles that had appeared beneath her eyes, highlighted by her dyed-black hair, when Roco came 'home'.  She turned to him, mustered up a smile.  "Hey.  How was work?"

Roco only grunted and pulled off the bandanna that had been tied around his head, flicking his ears back and forth a moment.  They had tried to bleach his jet black hair, but it came out more of a burnt-orange, which was fine.  They didn't bother with his tail, since it stayed tucked away anyway.

"That good, huh?"  She was long used to his taciturn nature.  "I got burgers again.  Sorry..."

"It's fine," Roco said as he sat at the table, grabbing for a bag.

"They're teriyaki flavor this time, so it's a little different.  Tomorrow I'll try to cook something."

Roco went still, mouth open wide, about to take a bite of his burger.  His golden eyes flicked to Wendy, staring intense.

"I won't burn anything this time, I promise.  It's just... hard to get the heat settings right on that burner."  Cheap camp gear was only half her excuse, really.  The rest was her getting distracted by maps, plotting their next destination, and forgetting to check the food.  Luckily, the motel's smoke alarm didn't work.

She sat and joined in the meal, starting with her french fries instead of the burger.  It was quiet a moment, until she asked "Tomorrow's your last day, right?"  At Roco's nod, her brows drew together.  "Do you want to stay here longer, or do you want to go?"

Roco's eyes drifted away, scowl touching his features.  He ate silently – thoughtful – for a short beat, and then finally said "Up to you."

She figured as much.  "It would be nice to stay in one place for a while," she said between fries.  "But I think it would be safer to keep moving, at least until we cross the next border."

Roco only swallowed the last of his teriyaki burger and moved on to his fries.  While Wendy _was_ used to him being quiet, sometimes it was hard for her to tell what he was thinking or feeling.  He usually defaulted to her, letting her make the decisions for both of them, but she had zero confidence in the choices she made.  Sometimes – _sometimes_ – she wished for a little more input from the wolf.

They ate the rest of their meal in silence.  Wendy finished her fries and pushed her burger to Roco, telling him to eat it.  He had worked hard all day; he needed it more than she did.  Then she got up and headed to the bathroom, starting the water for a bath.

Roco came up behind her as she skimmed her hand along the warm water, a lurking menace, wolf in human clothes.  Wendy stood, barely coming up to Roco's chest, but never once had she ever felt afraid of him.  "Get in," she instructed.  "I'll wash your hair."

He pulled off his clothes without preamble, neither showy nor shy.  She appreciated the view all the same.  Her wolf was beautiful – long, thick legs, a broad chest, trim waist.  His dick was proportionately large, always filled her perfectly, and his balls were heavy below.  Every inch of his body was perfectly human, with only his long, black tail and the dyed-orange ears atop his head claiming otherwise.

Roco sighed as he sat back in the warm water, a sound that said volumes for the otherwise silent wolf.  Wendy smiled, glad Roco could relax for a little bit, and then grabbed a clean, plastic cup to dump water over his head.  She sat on her knees as she worked, using the cheap shampoo that they had taken from the last hotel that actually provided amenities, and reached over the tub to work a nice lather into Roco's hair.  He moaned, just a little, as her fingers massaged his scalp, and she let her hands dip down to rub his neck as well.

With Roco's hair clean and rinsed, Wendy took up the soap and rubbed it across his shoulder and chest, then moved back.  "Turn around," she said.  "With your back to me.  I'll rub your shoulders."

Roco did as instructed, sitting sideways in the small tub, giving her access to his muscled back.  She slicked the soap over his skin, then set the bar aside to work at his shoulders.  His body was tense, muscles tight after a day of lifting heavy bundles of wood and tools, and she carefully worked at each knot until he was pliant and relaxed.

"Feel better?" she asked, giving his shoulders one last squeeze before moving away.

"Yeah," Roco grunted in response as he adjusted again, lying lengthwise in the tub.  Wendy rested her elbows on the side of the tub and watched him.  He looked peaceful, as if he were on the verge of falling asleep right there in the water, but then one of his golden eyes cracked open and looked at her.  "Aren't you coming in?"

She smiled.  "I don't think I'll fit."

"You're little."

"No, I'm pretty fa-  Ah!  Roco!"  She didn't get a chance to protest further, as Roco reached over the side of the tub and easily lifted her over the edge, regardless of how chubby she may have been.  Any further objection was swallowed up by laughter as she was dragged fully-clothed into the warm water, nestled against the wolf's large chest like a favorite toy.  "You big brute!"

"Yep," was Roco's only reply.

"I'm still in my clothes."  Yet that didn't stop her from relaxing against him.  Tomorrow was laundry day anyway.

She had sunk in between Roco's legs, resting her face against his damp chest.  His arm came up to rest on her shoulder, fingers reaching to caress her hair.  She wished they could stay just like that forever, not having to run or hide.  She wondered if Roco regretted coming with her.  He wouldn't answer even if she asked, though, so she didn't bother.

The water had started to go cold when Roco's arm moved again, reaching over her arm to slide across her breast, groping her.  Wendy's lips curved up into a smile – Roco may be a wolf, but he was still a man.  She let him have his way, even moved her arm to give him better access, and didn't protest when he grabbed her and moved her until she lay with her back against his chest, allowing him to reach around with both hands and fondle her from behind.  His dick began poking against her back, growing harder as his hands became rougher in their prodding.

It must not have been good enough for him, too many layers of soaked clothing blocking him from what he wanted.  He growled with impatience, then sat up.  Once he got his feet under him, he stood, taking Wendy up in his arms with him, carrying his dripping bundle out of the bathroom and into the bedroom.

"Roco, don't," Wendy objected at last.  "You'll get the bed all-"

She was tossed unceremoniously onto the bed, her wet clothes soaking the covers immediately.  And then Roco was on her, kissing her, yanking at her blouse to pull it over her head.  He threw it to the floor, then tore at her bra, sending that over the edge of the bed next.  His mouth was on her chest then, and though Wendy had very little feeling there – not feminine at all – she definitely felt it when Roco's sharp teeth bit at her nipples.  He bit until she whimpered in pain – in pleasure – knowing how rough he could be with her insensitive body, and then he suckled on the nubs he had caused to harden.

Satisfied with his work, Roco moved back up, biting at Wendy's panting lip.  He squeezed one of her breasts in a large hand, and his voice held a bit of a growl to it as he said "You could feed such strong, healthy pups with these."

Ah, so he was in that kind of mood.

Well, she could play along.

"I could feed a whole litter," she replied, voice soft.

A more definite growl sounded from Roco as he sat up.  His dick was fully erect, dripping from the tip, and his eyes blazed with lust as he looked down at her.  "Gonna breed you," he muttered as he tugged her pants down, pulling them off her legs along with her panties.

"Do it," she pleaded.  "Put your pups in me."  It was cheesy – even Wendy thought so – but it always got Roco riled up.

And riled up he was.  His movements were rough, needy.  He lifted her by her legs, easily holding her lower body up, bringing her cunt to his lips.  His tongue lapped at her slit, making her wet, and she gasped loudly when he sucked on her clit.  He tongue-fucked her until she was soaked, a dripping hot, moaning mess, then lowered her body and lay between her legs.

His hands and teeth were on her breasts again then, nipping at her while his cock pressed at her hole.  He pushed in, little by little, entering her with small thrusts that had Wendy gasping and panting with every inch.  And when he was fully inside her, he only paused for a breath of a moment before he drew his hips back, then slammed into her.

It felt absolutely amazing.  Roco's large dick stretched her perfectly, just this side of painful, and his pelvic bone crashed bliss against her clit every time their hips came together.  He couldn't seem to get enough of her tits, keeping a firm hold on one while he nipped at the other.  His attention only moved from her breasts when his teeth traveled to her shoulder and neck, biting at her, leaving marks.  His ears tickled at Wendy's cheek, and she wrapped her arms around him, digging one of her small hands into his hair to grab at the soft ears.

A growl sounded from Roco.  His hand moved from her breast to wrap around her body, holding her close as his thrusts become rougher.  His gruff voice rumbled in her ear.  "Gonna-"  Another deep growl.  "Gonna fill you.  Gonna breed you.  Can-"  And he gasped; he was hanging on by a thread.  "Can I?"

"Just a little more," Wendy panted out.  She was so close.  So close.  Her hips rose to meet his, stroke for stroke, his cock stirring up pleasure from deep within her.  "Fuck-  Roco-"  She moaned loud.  "More.  _More_."

He thrust harder, causing the bed to smash against the wall repeatedly, causing Wendy to cry out in pleasure.  Her hand tightened in his hair, pulling as shockwaves of orgasm began to bubble over.  " _Fuck me_ , Roco!" she cried.  "Fill-!  Fill me!"  Then her voice was stolen away by a long moan as her body went tense, clamping down on Roco's dick as she came, hard.

Roco snarled as he slammed into her one last time, pressing as close as he could, releasing his seed deep inside of her.  Wendy's body happily milked every last drop from him.

He panted into her shoulder, hot breaths coming in heavy puffs.  He only took a moment to catch his breath, and then pulled away.  His dick slipped out of her as he moved away, pulling a stream of cum along with it, and then he sat up.  Instead of curling up next to her and falling asleep as usual, he moved to the end of the bed, swung his legs over the side to plant his feet on the ground, and hung his head.

Something wasn't right.  Roco looked depressed, and it made Wendy's heart ache.  She quickly crawled over, ignoring the fluids leaking out of her, and pressed herself against his broad back.  "Roco, are you alright?"

The room stayed silent.  Honestly, it wouldn't have been at all strange if Roco never answered, but he did, eventually.  His deep voice rumbled out a simple "I'm sorry."

"Whatever for?"

His voice was tight, strained, as if speaking was physically painful for him.  "I know I can't...  Because of my body...  I can't..."

He didn't say any more – he didn't need to.  He was a hybrid being – part human, part wolf – and therefore sterile.  He was unable to reproduce, no matter how much nature pushed him to, no matter how much he wanted to.

Maybe they should stop performing their bedroom play.

"Hey," Wendy said softly.  Then she rose up on her knees to press her head against Roco's.  "It's okay.  As long as we're together, that's all that matters."

Silence fell again, for a while.  Wendy's heart hurt for Roco, almost angry that there was nothing she could do for him, nothing she could really say to make him feel better about this particular issue.  All she could do is stay by his side, hold him tight, but it felt so inadequate – a running theme where she was concerned.

"I wanna stay here," Roco said suddenly, quietly.  "Just a little bit longer."

Wendy smiled, happy that Roco had finally given an opinion.  "Okay, we'll stay."

"I wanna save some money..."  His voice went even lower.  "Wanna buy you a ring..."

Her smile fell, and then her jaw dropped.  Her eyes went hot and wet, and her throat clogged up as she choked out "Roco..."

"I mean...  If you want..."

She slid her short, chubby arms around him, this beautiful wolf who didn't care what size she wore, who ate her terrible cooking, who protected her and trusted her and loved her.  She held him as tightly as she could, never letting go, ready to throw everything away for him all over again, and whispered "I do."

He reached up and took her hand in his own.


	29. A Day in the Life

 

 

 

Today's message made him laugh out loud.

' _Nikko there was a cannoli on the balcony!_ '

Sometimes Knight left him text messages while he was at work.  They never failed to make Nikko smile, even just knowing Knight was thinking about him, wanted to reach out to him.  Knight understood that Nikko couldn't reply right away, but he sent the messages anyway, little love notes that waited patiently to be read.  And while Knight tried very hard to use proper grammar and spelling, he didn't seem to know about autocorrect, and never proof-read his messages before sending them.

It occasionally made for rather amusing surprises.

' _How did it get there?_ '

Knight replied right away, as he always did this time of day.  ' _I thing it flew there._ '

' _It flew?_ '  There was a smile on Nikko's lips.

' _Yes, Nikko!  It was an yellow bird with winks so it flew!_ '

' _I think you mean a canary._ '

' _That's what I said.  Ant cannoli._ '

Nikko laughed again.  His fox was too cute.  ' _Did you take a picture?_ '

' _Yes!_ '

A moment later, a picture of a bright yellow canary appeared, sitting cozy on the balcony railing.

' _Looks delicious._ '

' _Nikko you can't eat canneries!_ '

Nikko laughed again, suddenly and loudly enough to make a student passing by outside his classroom jump.  He gave a sheepish nod of apology just as his phone buzzed again.

' _What does Nikko want foe dinner?_ '

Nikko's lip pulled up again as he replied.  ' _I'm in the mood for Italian._ '

 

 

 

It was still stupidly hot out – still technically summer, he supposed – but the heat backed off quite a bit once night fell.  That was just part of the reason they chose to take their daily walks after the sun set – the part that backfired in the winter.  The biggest reason was that there were fewer people out at night.  Of course, there were always _some_ people milling about – it was hard to avoid people completely in a city this size – but at night, there were fewer people to be wary of, fewer eyes to stare, and it meant Knight and Bishop could leave their tails and ears free.

They spent some time at the nearby park, as they usually did, but their spaghetti-and-meatball dinner had left them extra full, and they were all in the mood for a longer walk to aid digestion.  So they traveled on to the river, where the dark water ran swiftly.  The sound of it was pleasant and calming.

"Be careful," Nikko advised, even though his students usually were.  "Looks like the current is pretty strong tonight."

"Okay, Nikko," Knight said as he skipped along the riverbank.  Nikko and Bishop hung back further from the water.

While it was true that Nikko was afraid of water, his phobia was a little more specific.  It wasn't just water that scared him – he was fine being around water, and usually was okay with wading into it up to his shoulders.  He certainly wouldn't be winning any swimming competitions, but he could doggie-paddle if he needed to.

But deep water terrified him; especially suddenly-deep water.  Pictures of the Blue Hole in Belize made him shake; underwater drop-offs were the stuff of nightmares.  And even more than that, what was _in_ the water frightened him.  Anglerfish and gulper eels were more terrifying than any monster, and even seaweed made Nikko want to run for the mountains.  He didn't even want to imagine what terrors lurked in the uncharted depths of the oceans.

The river, however, was fine.  Peaceful, even.  He liked watching it flowing by, like it had somewhere important to be.

"Nikko!" Knight called out, tail curling to and fro.  "Let's cross the bridge!"

Nikko smiled.  "All right."

The wind blew more strongly at the top of the bridge that spanned the two sides of the river.  It smelled like a storm was coming – even Nikko's human nose could pick that up.  They paused to stare down at the water far below, illuminated only by the moon.  It felt good.  The wind blew the summer heat away as it blew Nikko's hair around, and he felt at ease.

Any peace or ease Nikko may have felt immediately shattered when he heard Knight gasp, and he watched in horror as Knight suddenly leapt onto the railing of the bridge, then dove, down, down, down, to the rushing water below.

"No, Knight.  _No_."  Nikko prayed as he ran from the bridge to the riverbank, Bishop on his heels, and then he began to scream.  "Knight!  _Knight_!"  Please be okay.

Knight's head surfaced and Nikko called to him again, letting Knight know where he was, where shore and safety were.  Athletic as ever, Knight began a strong, one-armed swim towards where Nikko continued to yell, following his frightened voice.  Nikko didn't stop calling until Knight pulled himself onto the riverbank, keeping one arm cradled to his chest.

"Knight!" Nikko cried as he helped the fox up.  "Why did you do that!?"

"Nikko, look."  Knight drew his arm back from his chest, showing what he held.

Cradled against him was a small, black puppy.

"Knight, you..."  Then Nikko sighed, and then smiled.  "You really are a knight in shining armor."

"Nikko, can we keep it!?"

Nikko almost laughed at that.  Somehow, it reminded him of how his whole purpose of going to the facility in the first place was to get a pet – a pet that he still didn't have.  And he smiled, even as he said "No, we can't."

The hope in Knight's face fell.  "Why not?"

"He has a collar on," Nikko answered, gesturing to the small bundle.  The bright pink band around its neck was visible even in the darkness of the riverside, proof that the puppy already had a home.  "He belongs to someone already, and I think that person would be sad if they never get to see him again."

Knight looked down at the puppy for a long time, but eventually he nodded.  "You're right."

A thunderclap boomed then, causing both the puppy and Bishop to whimper, and Nikko's smile turned up.  "Well, let's take him home before the rain starts and see about finding the owners."

"Yes, Nikko!"

 

 

 

'He' turned out to be a 'she', and her name was Bea, according to the tag on her collar.

Bishop had run for his room as soon as they got home, a mad dash to hide under his covers, scared of the continuing thunder.  The rain hadn't started yet, thankfully, but Knight was still soaking wet from his swim in the river.  His sopping tail left a trail along the sidewalk and through the apartment building, leading right to their door.

"Stay here," Nikko instructed.  "I'll get some towels."

He came back with three towels, handing one to Knight, who began rubbing the puppy with it, and tossed one over Knight's head, giving a quick pat of his ears and hair before leaving it.  Then he went for Knight's tail, wringing the water out, rubbing and fluffing the soaked fur.  It would be damp until it air-dried, but at least he wouldn't drip all over the apartment.  Nikko flushed when he felt the smile stuck on his own face, always so happy to play with Knight's tail.

"I'll bring some dry clothes for you," Nikko said next.  "Take her to the living room, but don't sit on the couch until you're dry.  Make sure she's warm."

"Okay!"  Knight smiled, happy as ever to be helpful.

Since it was evening anyway, Nikko brought Knight his leopard-print pajamas and another towel.  He took Bea while Knight changed, keeping his eyes on the pup, trying very hard not to oogle his lover while the fox stood nude, drying off.  It would be rude to stare, though Nikko couldn't help a few wayward glances.

"Nikko," Knight started as he pulled his trunks over his slim hips, then reached back to pull his tail through the altered-in hole.  "What kind of dog is Bea?"

"Looks like she's at least part Labrador," Nikko answered, petting the little girl in his lap, then ruffling the towel over her head a bit.  Then he chuckled.  "She's kind of chubby.  I bet her family loves her a lot and gives her lots of treats."

Knight smiled bright, and then all of a sudden his eyes went wide.  "Oh no!  Nikko!"  He grabbed his sopping pants up off the floor, then pulled his cell phone out of the pocket.  It was dripping.  "Nikko, I'm sorry!"

"Ah..."  He really couldn't afford to buy yet another phone right now, but somehow Nikko forced a smile for Knight's sake.  "I'm sure it'll be okay."  He traded the puppy for the phone, and picked up Knight's clothes while he was at it, to take them to the hamper.  "We'll put it in rice; I've heard that helps dry out phones."

"I'm sorry, Nikko..." Knight pouted.

"Don't worry about it."  With a pat to Knight's arm, Nikko headed to the bathroom to drop off Knight's clothes, pulling the soaked wallet out of a pocket before tossing everything into the hamper.  Then he went to the kitchen, took the phone apart, and placed the pieces in a bowl of uncooked rice like he had seen in those 'life hack' images.  Hopefully it worked as well as people said it did.

He also took everything out of Knight's wallet and laid it all out on the counter to dry before going back to the living room.  Outside the sliding glass door to the balcony, he saw the rain had started to fall, and sitting on the floor, Knight played with little Bea.  He wondered if it was hypocritical to hope Knight didn't get too attached to the puppy before they had to give her back.

"Knight," Nikko said softly, then held out his own phone.  "Call the phone number on her tag and tell her family she's safe.  They must be really worried.  We can keep her here tonight, since the weather is bad, but she'll have to go home tomorrow."

Knight stared at Bea for a long time, hands going still even as she continued to pounce on him.  His lip trembled, but finally he looked up and took Nikko's phone.  "Okay."

 

 

 

It was a family they met at the park, man and woman and little blonde girl who was the spitting image of her mother.  The young girl cried out "Bea!" and took off running towards them, arms outstretched for the furry bundle in Knight's arms.

Knight seemed to hesitate a moment, but then he kneeled down and handed the puppy over, saying "She missed you."

"I missed her!" the little girl said, holding her puppy tight.  "Thank you, Mister!"

When Knight stood back up, he was smiling.

The girl's parents approached and greetings, 'thank you's, and 'no problem's were exchanged.  A reward was offered and refused, and then they went on their separate ways.

Nikko's and Knight's hands joined automatically as they turned to head back home, and though Nikko worried Knight would be upset, he found the fox continuing to beam happily.

"She was very happy, Nikko," Knight said.

"Yes."

"It feels good to make other people happy."

Nikko squeezed Knight's hand, leaving that feeling to soak in as they continued their walk home.

 

 

 

' _Nikko, Bishop ate a sock!_ '

Knight's phone had survived, thankfully.

' _Please tell me you mean a snack._ '

' _No, Nikko!  He ape a sock!_ '

A moment later a picture appeared, showing Knight's scowling face as he held up a ripped and mangled black sock.  It was a stark reminder that, really, they already had a puppy.

And Nikko could only laugh.


	30. Roar

 

 

 

They knew, and he knew they knew.  He didn't want to belittle their understanding or their intelligence, but he couldn't stop the agonizing unease that almost crippled him.  His steps stuttered once again as they tried to make their way towards Daniels Park.

"Nikko?" Knight questioned as he and Bishop both stopped and looked back.

"Just...  Remember..."

Knight smiled, stepped to Nikko, took his hand and squeezed it.  "We won't tell anyone.  It's a secret!"

Nikko sighed and nodded, but he didn't really feel any better.  It was their first gathering with the other teachers and students since he and Knight...  Well, since they got together.  Honestly, Nikko was afraid.  He was afraid of something slipping – a word, a touch, a look – that would give them away to everyone.

Would Knight be taken from him right then and there?  Or would they wait until after the party to drag him away?  Would they let Nikko say goodbye?

All he could do, though, was trust that everything would be okay.  Either that or stop going to gatherings, but Nikko didn't want to do that.  Now that the events and many of the people were familiar to him, he really enjoyed hanging out with the others and watching the students frolic.  He had learned a lot during the gatherings, and appreciated the chance to exchange information.

Knight enjoyed the parties too, and Nikko didn't want him to miss out on the chance to play freely.  And though Bishop didn't seem quite so into the idea of being surrounded by people, he needed to spend _some_ time around others.

Finally, Nikko smiled weakly.  "Okay."  He squeezed Knight's hand in return, then let the fox pull away and return to Bishop's side.  The two students held hands as they approached the reserved area of the park, partially for show and partially because Knight needed to cling to _someone_.

They had barely started greeting other people and animals when a loud voice called out "Bisho~p!" and a snow-white shadow sprang.  The attack was thwarted as Bishop anticipated it and stepped out of the way at the last moment, leaving Jerry to plop to the ground.  Nikko had no idea when or why the crazy kitten had become so attached to the standoff-ish dog, but Bishop looked somewhere between annoyed and disturbed.

Ben approached then, far more calmly, his gray tabby hair bright in the sunlight.  He picked Jerry up and tucked him under one arm before saying a "Sorry about that" with a smile.  Then he carted the kitten back to where Alice was standing with several other older ladies, all of whom seemed to have several cats.  She waved to Nikko, and he returned it before heading off to look for somewhere to go.

There was a distinct lack of poodles, giving the place a pleasant atmosphere.  Seemed Victoria had skipped out again, though Nikko did end up almost running into Marie.  Her nose turned up in distaste when she saw him, but then her eyes traveled over Bishop.  "It's nice to see you finally got something pure," she said, voice as bitchy as ever.  "Too bad it's a runt."  Then she stuck her nose further up and walked away before anyone could reply, Tiffy on her heel, just as haughty.

Okay, so there was one poodle.  It was enough.

An arm slung across Nikko's shoulders, Buck appearing at his side.  "Yo, Nikko."

"Hey, Buck," Nikko replied, smile coming to his lips.  "How's it going?"

"Can't complain."  Buck's own smile then turned to Knight and Bishop as he asked "How 'bout you guys?" in return.

Knight smiled, though he seemed tense.  His nose quivered – he was looking out for Gus.  "I'm okay," he answered.  Beside him, Bishop only nodded silently.

"We got a table over there," Buck said with a gesture.  "Wanna join us?"

"Of course," Nikko answered, following Buck's lead.  For Knight's sake, however, he asked "Where's Gus?"  Not that he thought Buck would lead them into an ambush, but he wanted to give Knight an out if he needed it.

Buck pointed a thumb.  "Over there."

Nikko looked to see Gus lying on his side under a tree.  His head rested on a folded arm, eyes staring unfocused on a piece of grass.  His dark red tail was limp and motionless.  He looked depressed.

"He's been thinkin' a lot," Buck said as they walked.

"About?"

"About his studies."  Buck's smile turned up.  "He's been tryin'a focus more; he wants to improve."  No doubt he wanted Knight to hear how hard Gus was working to better himself; Nikko couldn't blame him for that.  "You're a teacher; could ya give him some study advice?"

"S-Sure," Nikko stuttered.  He had never spoken to Gus alone before, but...  It would be okay.  Probably.  "I'll catch up with him later."

"Thanks."

The usual group was there, taking up a table, laughing loud.  Kent sat by Ginger's side, which sent a flutter of nervousness through Nikko, still unsure of what the man's intentions were, though he hadn't done anything strange at Nikko's birthday party.  Reece seemed to have made it was well; Buck gave him a friendly smack on the chest as he sat back down.  Everyone greeted Nikko as if he was one of them, just a normal human who didn't fuck animals.

Brand-new nerves made his knees go weak, and he dropped into one of the metal folding chairs.

There were greetings for Knight and Bishop as well, before Ginger said "The others are over there playing, if you want to join them."

They looked over to where Penny and Tina were tying Axle up with a ribbon or string or something, the poor guy at the mercy of two giggling girls.  When Knight then looked to Nikko, Nikko gave him a smile.  "You can go," Nikko said, hoping his true meaning, that Knight _should_ go, was conveyed.  He wanted to spend every moment with the fox, just as Knight did with him, but they had to be normal.

"Okay, Nikko."  Knight smiled, nodded, then pranced away to save Axle.

Bishop made no move to follow, instead sitting on the ground next to Nikko.  Nikko smiled at him even as he asked "Don't you want to play?"

"No, thank you."  It figured.  'Playing', when they were out in an open park like this, would involve a lot of touching, which Bishop hated, and a lot of running and roughhousing, which also wasn't the dog's forte.  He seemed content just sitting amongst the humans, and that was fine.

"I guess Noella isn't coming," Ginger said, starting a round of gossip.

"Man, I ain't seen her or her bunny-butts in forever," Buck replied, slapping his knee for emphasis.  "It'll be a year next month!  What is even goin' on with her?"

"I only talked to her a little bit last month," Ginger answered.  "She didn't say anything, though, so I don't know.  I don't think she's mad at anyone or anything."

Nikko suspected he was the only one who knew anything about Ruka's impending graduation and Noella's efforts to stop it.  He kept his mouth shut, though.  He didn't like gossiping, and often felt awkward when other people did.  He couldn't help but wonder, if they were so okay with talking about other people in front of him, what did they say about him in front of other people?  He tried not to dwell on it, though, lest he run way from having friends again.

Reece's voice chimed in, sounding like he had something good.  "Do you guys remember Wendy?"

Nikko's heart seized.

"That short chick who stopped comin'?" Buck confirmed.

"Yeah.  She had a wolf.  Robo or Rico or something."

"Roco," Nikko supplied.  It wasn't like it was a secret that Knight worked with him or anything.

Reece's gaze turned to him, making Nikko self-conscious.  "You know them?"

"Knight did the work program with Roco last year, so I know him.  I never met his teacher, though."

"Oh?"  Reece snorted like he didn't believe Nikko, which was ridiculous, because he didn't really even _know_ Nikko and had no right to judge him, even if Nikko _was_ actually lying.  Then Reece turned back to the others.  "Well, I hear they've both disappeared."

It was Ginger who asked "Where did they go?"

"Nobody knows.  Rumor is she killed him or something and took off to avoid being sued."

"No way!"

Buck laughed.  "How could a tiny thing like her kill a wolf?"

"Maybe she sat on him."

_Rude_.  Nikko scowled, though he didn't say anything.  Ginger, on the other hand, said "Oh, come off it, Reece.  She wasn't that big."

" _Rotund_ , is the word."

"She was a bit chubby, at most.  She still looked good."

"If you say so."

Nikko wanted to snap.  He already didn't like Reece so much since the man was one of the teachers who turned Knight away at the Halloween party last year, but getting to know him better made him even more put-off.  He kept his mouth shut, though.  The guy was still his friends' friend, even if he was a dick.

"Maybe they ran off on a honeymoon," Reece said next.  "Since only an animal would fuck her."

Nikko stood up, far too quickly.  All eyes turned to him, painting his face red, but he just looked to Bishop, forcing normality into his voice.  "Do you want something to eat?" he asked.  "They'll have plenty of meat."

Bishop nodded and stood up, silent as ever.

Nikko glanced back towards the group of humans.  The only one whose gaze he could dare to meet was Ginger, to whom he said "We're going to get some food.  We'll...  We'll be right back."

Turning on his heel, not waiting for a response, Nikko headed towards the food table while Bishop followed.  When they were away from the group of humans, Bishop finally spoke up, saying a simple "You're upset."

Nikko looked back at the dog, paused a step for Bishop to catch up, then answered.  "That guy was really rude, talking about another person like that.  Humans... sometimes treat each other poorly based only on appearance.  I hope that's a trait none of my students ever pick up."

Bishop nodded, seeming to take it to heart, but then his gaze focused on the food they neared.  His lips smacked at the meat laid out, his special treat for coming.

They had plates in hand and a few things piled on when Ginger came up.  "Nikko, are you okay?"

Nikko sighed, even as he answered "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Reece can be a real jerk sometimes, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess," Nikko said as he looked away.

"Kent and I were going to take off early and see a movie, after the kids are done playing.  Wanna come with?"

It sounded kind of fun.  Nikko looked to Bishop.  "Want to go to the movies?"

Bishop looked back with a hot dog hanging out of his mouth.  It looked so _wrong_ , Ginger started to laugh, at which Bishop just tilted his head.  He swallowed down his food, and then asked "Movies?  It's a place?"

Nikko gave Ginger a shove to calm her pervert laughter, then answered.  "You know the shows we watch on TV?  Well, there's a place we can see them on a huge screen.  That's the movies.  Do you want to see?"

Bishop chewed his second – or perhaps it was his third – hot dog a bit, and then nodded.

"Great."  Nikko smiled.  "Knight likes to go too.  It'll be fun."

Before they could talk any further, however, there was a commotion of 'oh's and 'woah's.  Nikko turned to look, curious, and saw a group of teachers standing in awe and wonder around Victoria.  Seemed she had made it after all, but it wasn't the woman herself who was captivating everyone's attention – it was the man beside her.

She had a new student, and he was _huge_.  Larger than any of the other animals – larger than Knight; larger than Gus.  Power rippled through him; every minute movement he made – a turn of his head, a shift of his weight, a twitch of his long, long tail – seemed to exude strength.  His hair was a sandy blond, dotted with black, ringlet spots.  Those same spots covered his tail, as well as appearing in a smattering across his shoulders, bare in a sleeveless shirt.

Even Ginger's mouth hung open in shock.  "What the fuck is that?"

"A leopard," Nikko answered absently.  His eyes were glued to the man's hands.

He was clawed.  His bare feet held long, deadly nails that could easily rip someone apart, and so did his hands.  His teeth were larger than Nikko had ever seen on any of the students, hardly human-looking at all.  The leopard was half feral.

"It shouldn't be here," Nikko said suddenly, shaking his head slowly.  He felt scared, a sense of dread forming in the pit of his stomach.  "That...  He's dangerous..."

"Come on," Ginger said, turning to head straight for Jack.  Nikko was right behind her, and when they found the frowning rabbit she asked in a stage whisper "What is that?"

"He's our newest student," Jack answered.  He didn't look proud or pleased at all.

Nikko wanted answers just as much as Ginger did.  Quietly, he asked "Is...  Is he safe?"

"How did _she_ end up with him?" Ginger tacked on.

A moment of silence followed, Jack seeming to gather his thoughts, and then he finally started with "As you know, there are five animals that our scientists have had great success with: dogs, cats, rabbits, foxes, and wolves.  Everything else has largely failed."  Jack began walking then; Nikko and Ginger followed dutifully, heading somewhere still in sight of the picnickers, but more private.

"We know all that already," Ginger said.

"There are two other animals that have had marginal success; chipmunks and leopards.  However, there's no demand for chipmunks, so production of them has ceased."

"Demand?" Nikko questioned.  The unease in his gut churned, making him feel sick.  "Production?  What-  What are you guys _doing_ with them?"

"Leopards, on the other hand," Jack continued, completely ignoring Nikko's question.  "There is an interest in leopards, but they keep coming out... more animal than human.  To an extreme level."  His voice went even lower.  "We've had to destroy most of them, and the few we tried to teach ended up... with grave consequences."

"People died, didn't they?"  Ginger's eyes were piercing, boring into Jack.

Jack nodded, then said "They found, however, that it worked relatively well if they made them as hybrids, adding in calmer beasts to dilute the leopards' strong genes.  A leopard-chipmunk hybrid is quite cute and perfectly sized."

"She would never go for a hybrid," Nikko said, looking towards Victoria.  The woman was fawning over the attention her new student gained her, while Miffy stood off to the side, alone and ignored.  "She hates hybrids."

"That is correct.  What she has is pure, the first pure leopard in a long time."

"How did she get it?"

Then Jack's red eyes narrowed.  For the first time, Nikko saw real anger painted across the rabbit's face.  "The same way she gets everything she wants."

Money made the world go 'round, and sometimes bad people got their hands on dangerous things.

Nikko grabbed Ginger's arm and began tugging her away.  His other hand grabbed Bishop's hand, and for once the dog didn't shrink away, seeming to sense Nikko's desperation.  "Let's-  Let's go.  We need to go."

"Nikko?" Ginger questioned, concern replacing her previous intensity.  "Are you okay?"

"We need to leave.  Let's go to the movies."

"Okay," Ginger said as she stopped and pulled her arm free from Nikko's grasp.  She put a hand on Nikko's shoulders, and he was sure she could feel him shaking.  His anxiety was flaring, but her warm touch helped.  "We'll go.  Let's get the others and head out."

"Okay-  Okay."  Nikko nodded a few times too many.

He didn't have the chance to feel at ease.  Before they could take another step, a loud snarl sounded throughout the park – the threatening roar of a big cat.

Nikko looked to where the crowd of people began to scream and disperse while the large leopard-man surged forward, eyes locked onto something, or someone.  He lunged toward where the other students had been playing, sending them scattering.  Nikko saw Axle pull Penny behind him, stance defensive, while Tina went running on swift feet towards Kent.  Ben and Jerry took to a tree, as did several other cats.  All of them had looks of terror on their faces, and all of them were ignored by the leopard as he began his hunt.  Fear and panic ripped through Nikko as he watched the leopard give chase – growling, raging.

It was after Knight.

Knight ran, obviously aware of the huge power difference between them.  He didn't even try to take the beast on, smart, and he stayed clear of everyone else, willing to keep the danger focused on himself.

Nikko moved, calling out Knight's name, wanting to run to his fox and protect him.  He was small and weak, but there had to be something he could do.  What kind of teacher would he be if he couldn't even protect his student?  Knight was everything to him, and he would rather draw the leopard to himself than let anything happen to Knight.

Before he had even gone a step, though, he was stopped.  Ginger pulled him back, wrapped her arms around him, held him down.  "Nikko, don't!"

"Let me go!"  Nikko struggled, but the hold didn't loosen.  "I have to go to him!"

"Nikko!  There's nothing you can do!"

"I have to!  Please!"

"You can't!"  Her voice cracked, and Nikko's struggles ceased.

"Please..." Nikko said one last time, weak.  It was useless; all he could do was watch the events unfold before him.

Knight was swift and Knight was agile.  Knight had spent so much time running around at the park near their home, as if he had been training to run for his life all this time.  And when the leopard was too close on his heels, Knight managed to pitch forward onto his arms, kicking his legs up behind him, clocking the leopard in the jaw.  It bought him a few extra feet distance, and pissed the big cat off.

In horror, Nikko watched with tears pouring down his face as the leopard caught up again, reached a clawed hand out, and grabbed a handful of Knight's tail, yanking him off his feet.  Knight crashed to the ground and the leopard was on him instantly, but before those large teeth could bear down, the leopard was pulled back.

Bishop was on him, teeth clamped around the leopard's ankle, tugging with all the might his runt body possessed and growling loudly.  Nikko hadn't even noticed the dog had left his side.  Everyone else seemed too scared to do anything, and they couldn't be blamed for that, but for Bishop, the threat was to his _family_ , and he fought.  He fought as best he could.

It was useless.  One swift smack of a clawed fist sent Bishop flying back with an agonized yelp.  His glasses shattered against his face, glass cutting him open, streams of blood running from his eye, nose, and temple.

"Bishop!"  Nikko lunged again, but the hold on him remained strong.

The leopard turned on Bishop, angry.  Blood smeared over his leg where Bishop had bitten, and the cat snarled again as it advanced on the dog.  But then Knight was there.  He threw himself over Bishop, protecting him, wrapping himself around Bishop's smaller body and ready to take the inevitable attack.

Several people screamed when the leopard pounced, teeth and claws poised to kill, a wild animal without a shred of humanity.  Nikko could only scream " _No_!" as he watched those teeth go straight for Knight's throat.

A burst of red – a blooming flower of crimson blood spread over the grass of Daniels Park.  The roar of a big cat sounded again, this time matched by a wolf's howl.

Gus had taken the attack meant for Knight, blocking with his right arm.  The leopard clamped his teeth around Gus's elbow, holding him in a death grip.  Gus kicked the beast, his own clawed foot slicing open the leopard's leg, and the leopard responded by grabbing and clawing at Gus's arm.  Both of the leopard's hands swiped at Gus's arm over and over, nails like razors, tearing open flesh and muscle on either side of where his large teeth held on to the battered limb.  Gus screamed an agonized howl as blood poured from his arm, flesh shredded to ribbons, bone showing white as those claws continued to rip and tear.

Gus kicked again, which was dodged, the leopard yanking Gus's arm as he jumped back to avoid the wolf's feet, and then Gus reared his left fist back and flat-out punched the leopard in the head.  The big cat went still for a moment, as if perplexed, but his hold on Gus's arm didn't loosen.  Gus punched again, again, once more, but the leopard didn't let go.  Nor did it let go when Knight came charging, head down, using his thick horns to headbutt the leopard full-force in the ribs.  The snarl of pain was heard throughout the entire park as the leopard's ribs were crushed.

Knight backed up and then charged again.  This time the blow managed to dislodge the big cat, and Gus screamed again when the teeth ripped out of his flesh.  His arm hung limp, a tattered mess of torn meat and smashed bone, hanging by threads of tendon.  It was a gruesome, bloody horror show, but Gus managed to stay on his feet, kept his eyes focused rapt on his opponent, poised to continue the fight as if he didn't even notice the damage to his arm.

The leopard staggered on his feet, dizzy from the pounding his head took, a stream of blood running from his mouth, but he turned on Knight, fury blazing in his eyes.  He pounced again, but Knight was ready, ramming his horns into the beast's chest.  The leopard was knocked to the ground, and then Gus was on him, teeth clamping down on the leopard's throat.

The beast fought for his life, struggling with all his strength, roaring in pain and anger.  But the tables were turned now, and Gus didn't let go.  His hold didn't loosen at all as the leopard's struggles became weaker; he didn't let up when the leopard stopped fighting altogether, laying there panting, waiting for death to come.

He didn't let go until Buck ran forward, yelling "Gus, no!"  Everything was written plainly across the man's face; he didn't want Gus – _his_ Gus – to be a killer.

Gus pulled away from the leopard, leaving the animal laying mostly still, only his chest moving with shallow breaths.  Struggling to his feet, the shredded remains of Gus's right arm swung uselessly as he staggered a step back, and then he collapsed.

"Gus!"  Buck ran to his wolf, and Knight did too, both of them falling to his side.

Nikko was finally able to move too, calling out to Knight as he pulled from Ginger's arms and ran across the park.

Everyone had sprung into action at last, able to move, able to breathe, now that the threat was down.  Most people and their students were running to leave, some not even bothering to gather their things.  Jack was on a radio, calling out commands for an ambulance to be sent, as well as restraining devices.  Other staff members were at the leopard's side, checking his wounds, and a few headed towards Gus.

Nikko reached Knight and dropped to his knees, grabbing Knight's shoulder and asking "Knight, are you alright?"

"Gus..." Knight whimpered, barely acknowledging Nikko.  Then he leaned down and gently began to lick at one of the tears on Gus's arm, like he had months before when Nikko's face got scratched.  Unlike that time, however, the bleeding didn't stop.

Buck brushed Gus's dark red hair away from his face, rambling "C'mon, buddy.  Open your eyes.  _Gus_.  God, hang in there.  C'mon."  His hallowed eyes were heartbreaking, the big man crying for his broken wolf.  Despite his prayers, Gus remained motionless.

Nikko ran a comforting hand through Knight's hair, then stood up and ran to Bishop.  The dog was holding a hand to his eye, but it seemed most of his bleeding had stopped.  "Are you okay?" Nikko asked, kneeling to take a closer look at Bishop's wounds.  Bishop nodded, and Nikko said "Come on" as he helped Bishop up, and together they went back to where Knight was.

Knight continued to cling to Gus, getting his hands, his clothes, his face bloody, but he didn't seem to care, and Nikko could only stand silently by.

The ambulance came minutes later, the vehicle blaring its sirens, showing typical markings but not listing any hospital.  It belonged to the company – the facility must have its own hospital, since it wasn't like they could take the students just anywhere.  The back doors flew open and several paramedics jumped out, yanking out a stretcher and running it over to Gus.  Nikko couldn't tell if the medics were human or animal – all he knew was that it took five of them plus Buck to lift Gus's large body onto the stretcher.

Knight ran after the stretcher and Nikko rushed to follow.  Buck climbed right up into the ambulance once Gus was loaded in, as did a small woman with tousled brown hair who Nikko assumed was May, their coordinator, but when Knight moved to climb in he was stopped by a paramedic.

"Let him come," Buck said, and then he looked to Nikko.

Nikko nodded his agreement.  Knight needed to be there, for Gus's sake and his own.

The medic stepped back, Knight climbed in, and the ambulance doors slammed shut, the vehicle pulling away with screaming sirens.

Another truck had pulled up, this one armored.  The men who rushed from that one included Jack's doberman friend – definitely some kind of security force – and the pack of them stormed to the barely-breathing leopard, affixing manacles to his wrists and ankles, as if he could do anything in his state.  Victoria was on them as they roughly lifted the leopard, screeching "Don't you hurt him!  Don't you dare leave a mark on him!  He's mine!  I paid for him!"  In her harpy fury, she didn't even notice Ginger raging her way.

Ginger grabbed Victoria by the collar, snapping the woman's pearl necklace, sending beads flying as she screamed into her face.  "How could you bring that thing here!?  How did you think you could control it!?"

"Help!" Victoria yelled in vain.  "Help!  Assault!"

"Did you think you could pay it to listen to you!?"

"No!"  She said that, but nobody believed it.

"Why was it after Knight!?"

"I-!"  Victoria stopped, until Ginger shook her, hard.  "I just wanted to scare him!  I didn't mean-!"

The whole park went still; everyone who hadn't taken off stared at the two women.

She had done it on purpose.  Whether she knew it could end in such devastation or not, Victoria had purposely taught or trained or somehow bribed or blackmailed the leopard she had bought and paid for to go after Knight.  Somewhere in that selfish brain of hers she thought the embarrassment she suffered at the Halloween party warranted an innocent fox getting torn to shreds.

Nikko couldn't even fathom what was wrong with the woman, but he ran to Ginger and pulled her away before she did something she regretted.  "Come on," he said, a calm settling despite the continuing storm.  "We need to get to the facility.  We need to see Gus."

They found Penny clinging to Axle, hiding her face in his broad chest and crying while the rottweiler held her.  Reece stood nearby, but Kent and Tina were nowhere to be seen.

"Penny!"

Penny pulled away from Axle, looking shocked and frightened, but when she saw Ginger she ran to her, clung to her, sought comfort in the familiar arms of her teacher.  And Ginger ran a hand through the retriever's long hair, looking over her head to throw an appreciative look to Axle.

"Are you heading to the facility?" Reece asked.

"Yeah," Ginger replied.  "We're going to check on Gus and Nikko will need to pick up Knight.  Are you coming?"

"Yeah, I'll be there."

"Can you give Nikko a ride?  There's not enough room on my bike."  Ginger's question was appreciated, since Nikko never would have been able to ask himself.

"Uh...  Sorry," Reece answered slowly, though whether it was because he felt bad or if he was looking for an excuse to decline, Nikko didn't know.  "My truck's full of so much shit, Axle can hardly fit in there.  I ain't got any extra room."

"Come on, Reece-"

"It's okay," Nikko interrupted before an argument started.  "I think there's a bus stop nearby.  We can-"

He was interrupted himself when Tina ran up, shaking, yet determined.  "Our car is ready.  Kent said Nikko might need a ride."

So Kent hadn't left after all.  Rather, he had quite a bit of forethought.  Nikko nodded.  "Okay."  Then he turned to Ginger.  "We'll meet you there."  Then he and Bishop followed Tina as they sprinted to the parking lot.  For once, Bishop didn't complain about being touched when Nikko took his hand – without his glasses, the dog wouldn't be able to see where he was going.

Kent's car was a pristine, white BMW.  He stood with the door open and the driver's seat already pushed forward, giving Nikko room to slide into the back seat, pulling Bishop along while Tina ran to the front passenger seat.

They didn't even have their seatbelts on before Kent tore out of the parking lot like a bat out of hell.


	31. Gus-Gus, part two

 

 

 

Knight had never been to the facility's hospital area before.  He had always been healthy, never got sick.

Gus had always been healthy too.

He let his head drop, falling to his knees that were pulled to his chest.  He sat on a bench in a waiting room; Buck was there too, pacing back and forth, but neither of them had gotten any word on how Gus was doing.

Knight had been so mean to Gus, refusing to forgive him, refusing to even listen to him.  Gus had made a mistake – it was a mistake Knight made too – but he was really sorry.  Knight knew Gus was sorry, that he hadn't meant to do what he did, but the hurt he felt in his heart refused to give Gus a chance.

And yet...  And yet, despite that, Gus had protected him.  Gus had sacrificed himself for Knight's sake.

Gus must have really loved him.

Knight started crying again, sadness and guilt bleeding from his heart.  If Gus wasn't okay, Knight would never be able to forgive himself.

A heavy arm fell across his shoulders, Buck's presence a comfort, if a small one.  "It'll be all right," Buck said.  "He'll be alright.  He's big an' strong."

"I was so mean to him," Knight said with a sniffle.  "I wouldn't even talk to him.  But-  But-"  A sob wracked Knight's body.  "I don't hate Gus!  I never hated Gus!  I want to tell him I'm sorry!  I want Gus to be my friend again!"

Buck pulled Knight to him, letting Knight cry while he mumbled assurances.  "He's your friend.  He'll always be your friend."

Then the waiting room door opened, and Nikko was there.  Knight sprang from the bench as soon as he saw his human lover, running to wrap his arms around Nikko, tears starting anew.  And Nikko's thin arms slipped around him, holding as tight as he could, hands gripping the back of Knight's shirt.  Nikko's body shook; his voice hitched when he whispered "I was so scared."  Knight could only nod.

He caught Bishop's scent too, looking up to see the dog – his little brother – standing there.  Bishop's face was cut, dried blood smeared across his features.  Bishop had fought too.  Small as he was, Bishop came to Knight's aid without hesitation, had saved Knight, and got hurt for his efforts.

Knight reached for Bishop, pulled him into the hug.  For a long time, the three of them stood just like that, holding each other, crying out their fear and near loss.  And when they finally parted – it must have been hours later – Nikko put a hand to Knight's and Bishop's cheeks each.  "I couldn't stand to lose either of you."  Then, somehow, he smiled.

Others had arrived as well, their large group crowding the waiting room.  It made Knight happy – at least a little bit – that so many people were worried about Gus.

"How is he?" Reece asked Buck, delivering a pat to the man's back.

"Dun know," Buck answered.  "There ain't been any word."

"I want to destroy that _bitch_ ," Ginger said, angry.  Her fist pounded against the wall she leaned on, thudding loudly throughout the room.  Knight didn't understand what or who she meant, but he had never seen Ginger _so_ mad before, so it must have been bad.

Kent chimed in with "I wonder what will happen to that leopard," but nobody responded.  Probably, most of them would say he should be destroyed.  Knight didn't know what to think, so he didn't.  He put it out of his mind, for now.

The mood was grim, the conversation heavy.  Each of the teachers seemed to hover extra close to their students, with sympathy towards Buck, who couldn't.  When the door opened and a black-and-white-haired nurse-rabbit poked her head in, calling for "Mr. Harper," everyone watched Buck follow with held breath.

Knight didn't know how long they waited; he only knew it was in complete silence.  Everyone seemed to have their own thoughts to attend to, but when he felt Nikko's hand, folded perfectly within his own, give a squeeze, Knight was comforted.

Forever passed, and then a little longer.  Minutes ticked by, one eternity after another, and then Buck came back into the room, a hand pressed to his chest as if trying to physically hold his heart in one piece.  Everyone went stiff as he closed the door behind him, and it didn't help that he then just stood there quietly, eyes out of focus and brimmed red.

"Well?" Ginger finally asked.

Buck looked up, seeming to remember where he was and who these people were.  "He's...  He's in stable condition."  An audible sigh of relief sounded through the room.  "He'll need a lot'a rest, but he should be okay.  But..."

Reece raised a brow when Buck didn't continue.  "But?"

"He lost his right arm."

The room went silent again, until Ginger said "That doesn't matter.  What matters is that he's alive."

"People have overcome far greater loss," Kent added.

Buck just stared for a moment, and then a small smile tugged at his lip.  "Yeah," he said with a nod.  "It'll take a helluva lot more than that to get the big lug down."

The others began to smile – Knight smiled too – true relief finally settling in.  Gus was alive; Gus would be okay.  He would get better and stronger, and Knight could apologize to him properly.  They could play again and be friends again.

"He's still sedated," Buck continued.  "But they said two of us can go see him."

Everyone – even Buck – looked to Knight.  There was no question of who would go.  And Knight nodded, even as an icy fear crept over him.  "I want to see Gus."

Nikko squeezed his hand again, and the fear melted away.  "Give him our love, okay?"

"I will, Nikko," Knight replied.

"I'm going to find a doctor to look at Bishop, okay?  So if I'm not here when you're done, you stay with Buck.  All right?"

"Yes."

Then Nikko smiled and ran a hand down Knight's arm.  He looked like he wanted to kiss Knight, and Knight really, really wanted it too, but they couldn't.  Not right then; not with people around.  Instead, Knight went in for one more tight hug, then a hug for Bishop, and then he followed Buck out of the room.

Knight clung to Buck's t-shirt as they made their way down the white hallway, needing contact with someone, needing warmth.  Buck didn't seem to mind.  "Will Gus be able to study with only one arm?" Knight asked.

"I don't see why not.  His handwritin' will probably be even more shit if he has'ta write left-handed, but he should be able to read same as before."

"I see..."  Knight's ears began to flick as they neared the critical care part of the hospital, hearing all kinds of beeps and the hum of many electrical devices.  "Gus has never been able to read very well."

"That's true.  He tries, though.  Sometimes, anyway."

"He never practiced reading at the facility.  He said it was boring."

A half-smile appeared on Buck's lips as he asked "What'd he do there all the time?"

"Mostly break stuff."

Buck laughed, and it was contagious.  It made Knight chuckle too, and it felt good.  "That sounds like him," Buck said finally, and then they fell silent again.

They reached Gus's room and quietly slipped in.  A repetitive beep caused Knight's ear to swivel, but his eyes turned immediately to the hospital bed.  Gus lay there, unmoving, looking peaceful.  His large body filled up most of the bed frame; what was left of his right arm was a stump wrapped in layers and layers of bandages.  His left hand was bandaged as well, having hit the leopard so hard during the fight the bones in his hand must have broken.

But he was breathing.  He was alive, and that was what mattered.

"Gus..." Knight whispered as tears came back to his eyes.  He and Buck both rushed to the bed, each taking a different side.  Gus didn't wake up, which was probably good because he would need a lot of rest, and for a long time the two of them just stared at the sleeping wolf.

Then Knight reached up and carefully ran his hand through Gus's hair.  Still sleeping, Gus's head moved to lean into the touch, and Knight smiled.

 

 

 

Knight felt worlds better as they headed back to the waiting room.  Buck had pointed out the heart monitor and explained it to Knight, the consistent beeping proof of the strength of Gus's heart.

Nikko was in the waiting room, talking with everyone.  The blood had been cleaned up from Bishop's face and he had bandages over his cuts, but otherwise seemed okay.  Knight was glad – even more glad – and quickly ran over to take Bishop's hand.  He would have to take extra special care of Bishop until he got new glasses.

Ginger asked "How is he?" as soon as Buck was through the door.

"Sleepin' like a cub."

"That's good."

"We were thinking of going out for a bite," Kent said, prim smile in place.  "And _somebody_ keeps pushing for Starbucks."

"I wasn't pushing," Nikko replied, eyes drawing away.  "It was just a suggestion..."

Kent's smile turned up.  "I know it's been a long day, but would you be interested in joining us?"

"Yeah," Buck answered with a nod of his head.  "I'm game."

Just then, however, May came into the room.  Knight didn't know her very well; he had only ever interacted with her a few times when he lived at the facility, and he wasn't even sure she remembered him.  He had heard she complained a lot, but was otherwise decent at her job, and he had heard maybe a year or so after Gus left that she had been praised for successfully "doing something with that impossible wolf."

She called to Buck and asked "May I have a moment?"

Buck looked to his friends, said "I'll meet you guys there," and then followed May out of the room.

They rode with Kent to Starbucks, Knight getting the front seat and the three smaller passengers taking the cramped back.  Knight smiled over his shoulder at Nikko, who sat in the middle between Bishop and Tina.  Nikko looked exhausted, but he managed to return Knight's smile.

At Starbucks, Penny begged for chocolate cookies, but Ginger refused her, relaying a story of how sick Penny had gotten the last time she had chocolate.  With a frown and a pout, Penny agreed to a cupcake instead.  Axle played with Penny's hair while they waited in line, his hips swaying slightly with no tail to wag.  Tina held on to Kent's arm like a little lady, asking politely if she could have chiffon cake, and Kent looked ready to give her the world.  Everyone looked happy, friends just hanging out on a Saturday evening, but there was something missing.  There was a hole in their group where Gus needed to be.

Knight hoped that _everyone_ could hang out together soon.

Conversation was kept light.  There were more people than Knight and Nikko usually went out with, yet somehow it was quieter.  The absence of Gus and Penny's constant picking on each other seemed a loud silence, despite the humans' chatting.  Knight studied Penny for a bit, and though she acted normal, her eyes looked really sad.

Buck came through the door, gave their group a wave, and stopped by the counter.  He joined them when he had a large cup of coffee in hand, but his brow was creased and he didn't say anything when he sat down, only sighed.

"So," Ginger asked.  "Any news?"

"She said-"  Buck cut off suddenly, then rested an elbow on the table, running a hand over his cropped, blond hair.  "Like, she said...  The coordinators would be havin' a meeting to decide if Gus will continue his studies."

Knight's heart turned to ice.

"What?"  Ginger's face looked both angry and confused, an expression shared between all the humans.  "What does _that_ mean?"

"I don't _know_!"  Buck smacked his hand on the table, rattling their drinks.  "She said there might not be a point in graduatin' him."

Knight's eyes went wide.

"I don't get it," Ginger said.  "Why wouldn't there be?"

Knight bit his lip to hold in a sob.

"I don't know," Buck repeated.  "That's all she said."

And then Knight bowed his head, his sorrow overflowing, and he began to cry again.

Gus wasn't safe.  He wasn't safe at all.  But the threat was no longer to his body, but to his future, a future he – like Knight's future, like Bishop's future, like Penny's future – had no control over.  Because they were just animals, disallowed from making their own choices.  Because they were just products, and no company had any use for a defective product.

Nikko had his arms around Knight; Bishop placed a comforting hand on his leg.  Even Ginger reached around Bishop to rub Knight's back as Nikko soothed.  "Shh...  Knight, what's wrong?"

His voice stuck, fear rendering him speechless, and all he could do was bury his face into Nikko's neck and cry.

Then Nikko was tugging him up, urging Knight to his feet.  Knight pressed his hands to his eyes, keening whimpers pulling from his throat, but he managed to walk, going wherever Nikko led him.

They ended up in the bathroom, Nikko sitting on the closed lid of the toilet and drawing Knight onto his lap.  Knight immediately dug back into Nikko's neck, finding a safe place against Nikko's body.  Nikko held him, scratched a hand through his hair, pressed soothing kisses wherever his lips could reach.  He didn't pressure Knight to speak, just let him cry until he was exhausted.

And Knight was _so_ exhausted.

When his crying dwindled to little more than sniffles, Nikko asked "Feeling better?"

Knight shook his head.

"Do you want to talk?"

Knight paused a moment, wondering about that.  But it wasn't really a matter of if he _wanted_ to talk or not – he _needed_ to talk.  He needed to tell them what happened after graduation, and what it meant for there to be no reason to graduate Gus.  Maybe they could do something; maybe they could help.  If it's these people... surely they could protect Gus.

So he stood, sliding off Nikko's lap and pulling him to his feet.  With Nikko's hand held tightly in his own, Knight took the lead this time, leading Nikko out of the bathroom and back to their table.

They were greeted; Ginger asked if he was feeling better, but Knight didn't answer.

"After graduation..." Knight said, dredging up courage from the depths of somewhere.  He took a deep breath.  "After graduation, we get sold."

There were gasps, sounds of shock.  "What!?" Ginger asked in an angry tone.  Knight told himself it wasn't him she was mad at.

"That can't be."  Kent looked like he didn't believe it, or didn't want to, as his hand reached for Tina's.  "Sold to whom?"

Beside him, Nikko had gone still.  Knight squeezed his hand tighter as he spoke.  "To whoever pays for us.  It's very expensive, though.  Sometimes we get sold to gangs who sell a lot of drugs and want protection.  That's why wolves are so popular...  Usually we're sold to governments to be in their armies.  Gus...  Gus always said he was sure he would end up fighting a human war he didn't understand for people who didn't want to fight it themselves.  But...  But now..."

"They may not be able to sell him if he's damaged," Ginger finished for him.  "That's why there may not be a point in continuing his studies."

Knight gave a single, tiny nod.

"Well...  What'll they do with him if they decide not to graduate him?" Reece asked.

"They'll-"  Then Knight's throat choked up again.  His hand tightened around Nikko's fingers, his other hand lifting to grip Nikko's shirt.  His breath came in short gulps of air.

Nikko returned the squeezing, asking softly "They'll destroy him, won't they?"  And Knight nodded again.

"They can't!" Buck yelled, banging his large fist on the table again, drawing the eyes of other patrons in the café.  "I won't let them!"

"There's nothing we can do," Reece said, truth cutting.  "He's their property, remember?  It's rule number one, stated right in your contract."

"I don't give a shit!  You guys will back me up, right?"  Buck's eyes swung around.  "You'll help me save him?"

Ginger put a hand on Buck's shoulder.  "If it comes to that, we'll think of something."

There was a round of nods, some unsure, others skeptical.  Knight was glad he told them, though; glad he could share the burden knowing that was.  He felt like if anyone could protect their futures, it was these people.

Until Penny snapped.  "I don't believe you."  She glared at Knight, but he didn't understand why.  "You're lying!"

" _Penny_ ," Ginger said in a warning tone.

"You're lying!"

Knight whimpered.  "I-  I'm not..."

"How do you know that?  How do you know we get sold?  Nobody else knows!  How can you know something we don't!?"

He had been forgotten.

At another facility, in another district, with another coordinator.  He had been taken to see yet another potential teacher, a woman who cringed when he entered the waiting room.  She had whispered to Jimmy, his feline coordinator, that Knight frightened her.  His horns looked demonic, and could she please have someone smaller and cuter?  She apparently didn't understand how much better his hearing was than a human's.

So Knight, nameless at the time, was taken out of the room.  He was led to a corner near some offices and told to stay put until he was taken back to his room.  And then he was just... forgotten about.  He saw Jimmy pass by with another student, a little, pink fox girl, and then go back-and-forth again to prepare the contract.  Knight watched as the new teacher-student pair were shown out of the office, all smiles and excitement, and then he didn't see Jimmy anymore.  Or anyone, for that matter.

He had been told to wait until he could be taken back to his room, an escort needed to lock the door from the outside, so he waited.  He waited for a long time, until he was little more than a shadow in the corner.  He was still waiting when two other coordinators met outside their offices, and began talking.

They compared their sales figures, boasting about how many of their animal brethren they had sold off.  They argued whether four dogs were really worth two wolves, lamented that the labs hadn't sent them enough female rabbits, questioned why the scientists ever bothered with hybrids that nobody wanted.  They had become far too human; every word they said felt like a betrayal to Knight.

He never told anyone what he had overhead; not until he was moved to this district.  At that time, Gus was kept in a pen by himself during outside time.  The staff didn't trust him not to hurt the other students with his playing.  Gus wasn't bad, he just didn't know how to control his strength then, and he got too excited too easily.  He spent exercise time trying to break down the steel fence keeping him from the others, barking and growling at everyone else having fun together while he was stuck alone.  Knight knew what it was like to be alone, so he went to the fence and began to just talk.  And soon talking turned to racing along the fence, then playing tug-of-war through the heavy-metal bars of the fence.

Eventually, Gus was tentatively allowed to join the others; he promised to be good, to be careful, and he was, usually.  The times he got too rough ended up with him in the solitary pen, and he was just starting to make the connection between crime and punishment when Buck came along.

During their long talks, Knight had told Gus what he had overheard, about how they were little more than products as far as the company was concerned.  Gus didn't seem to get it, didn't seem to care, wasn't interested in the details as long as he got to live and play.

Knight wondered if Gus cared now.

Finally, Knight looked to Penny with sad eyes and simply said "I was at the facility for a really long time.  I heard things."

Penny couldn't respond to that; even she knew the trouble Knight had had getting a teacher.

Tina clung to Kent, on the verge of tears.  "I don't want to be sold!  I can't fight!"

"Not everyone is sold," Knight said.  "Some students become staff at the facility."  He tried a smile.  "Tina is small, so maybe you can become a nurse."

"And Knight?"  There was sorrow and fear in Tina's tiny voice.

"I..."  Knight's heart thumped.  "I'll stay with Nikko forever."  He could say that, at least.  Hopefully.

It was silent for a beat.  Nikko gave a hidden tug at Knight's arm, scared at Knight's admission, but if anyone else thought anything else about it, Knight couldn't tell.  Maybe he shouldn't have said it – maybe it gave away too much – but right then, it was all he could think.

But then Reece snorted, breaking the silence.  "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Knight didn't have an answer to that.


	32. Dog Days

 

 

 

"You look like an overgrown kid."

Knight blinked at Nikko, standing where he was near the door.  He had a baseball cap on to cover his ears, though it bulged a bit from his horns, and a backpack on his back.  He looked like a ten-year-old ready to go camping.  "Overgrown?"

"Yeah," Nikko said with a fond smile for his silly fox.  "You look like a very, _very_ tall child."

"Do I look bad?"

Nikko laughed.  "No, not at all.  You look very cute."

And Knight smiled.  "Nikko is very cute too!"

"Nah, I'm plain."  His smile persisted, though.

Knight would be spending a few days at Buck's house.  Gus was out of the hospital, home and safe, but having trouble adjusting.  Nikko had been relieved to hear Gus was doing alright, and just as pleased that the coordinators had decided to let him continue his studies.

Knowing what he now knew about the company that created the students had Nikko in a mental fury.  He fixated on it for days, and pieced what he thought was going on together.  Probably, the scientists in the labs just wanted to do science – to see what they could create.  But that took money, so the company must have been made to get the needed revenue.  Turning the students into a product killed two birds with one stone; it earned them money and found something to do with the created students.  By having some of the students themselves running the day-to-day operations of the company, as well as having the teachers working as volunteers, they saved even more money by not having to pay people to do the work.  It wasn't like lab-created animals with no legal standing could protest for proper wages.

But the students were still living, sentient beings.  They _deserved_ rights and they deserved to have some say over their own lives.  Nikko was almost surprised there hadn't been some kind of revolt yet, though if the students weren't supposed to know they were being sold until it was too late, he supposed they had no reason to think anything wrong was going down.  The staff and coordinators must have been too content or scared to stick their necks out for the others.

It unsettled Nikko, but he couldn't see anything he could do about it.

For now, things were slowly going back to relative normal.  Though the disaster of a picnic shook them to the core, and Knight spent several nights crying himself to sleep, things were calming down.  Knight smiled again, slept through the night again, wiggled up to Nikko and whimpered for sex again.

They visited Gus in the hospital once, after the wolf had been moved out of critical care and into the general care unit.  Knight was happy that the facility's hospital didn't have the immediate family only rule – since none of the animals _had_ immediate family – so they could actually go into Gus's room, and Gus's face had lit up when he saw Knight there.  And then the two students made their amends, Knight crying as he apologized for not hearing Gus out, Gus trying very hard _not to_ cry when he said over and over how sorry he was for what he did.

Then Knight had moved in for a hug, causing the wolf to howl in pain as his wounds were disturbed, and Knight cried harder, apologized more.  Nikko only laughed at the two bumbling animals.

Now, Gus was home.  Buck had invited them over for dinner, and then Knight would be staying there to help out with changing Gus's bandages, getting back to his studies, and figuring out how to live with his new handicap.  To prepare for the task, Knight had spent two days studying up on how to dress wounds and other aid techniques, as well as psychological support tips.  The thoughtful fox was absolutely the best person for the job.

Buck answered the door when they got to his house, welcoming them with smiles and thanks for coming.  They found Gus sitting on the couch, clawed feet pulled up onto the cushioned seat, wearing nothing but a pair of gray jeans and bandages.  The stump of his right arm twitched, and then he lifted his left hand and waved, giving a "Yo."

Knight bounded over, calling out to his friend, and even Bishop went to him, sitting on the floor in front of where Gus sat.  It probably escaped Gus completely, but the movement spoke volumes to Nikko, knowing Bishop's mannerisms.  It meant Bishop approved of Gus, was willing to get close to him.  The three of them had fought together, and Nikko thought there must have been a kinship between them.

"You got new glasses," Gus said with a smile, and Bishop returned with a nod.

Burgers and fries were Buck's idea of dinner, an easy meal that didn't require using a fork and knife.  After dinner they had coffee and just talked, the students able to hold up conversation as if they were totally human, though nobody spoke of what happened at the picnic.

Then it was time for Nikko and Bishop to leave.  Nikko's heart thudded and he realized it would be the first time he and Knight would really be apart since they met.  Even the few times they didn't share a bed, they still slept under the same roof; Nikko couldn't remember the last time he ate dinner without Knight's chatter served along with it.  It would be different, but would be a good experience for Knight, broadening his circle, his experiences.

They stood at the door and Nikko lamented that they wouldn't get to share a kiss goodbye with Buck and Gus standing there, but then Bishop spoke suddenly, saying "Ah, I seem to have lost my wallet" that was so obviously fake, yet only Nikko seemed to think so.  Bishop turned to Buck, quietly asking "Help me look for it?"

"Oh, uh...  Sure."

"Perhaps it's in the living room."  And Bishop grabbed Gus's belt-loop, pulling him away as well as they went in search of the missing wallet.

"I'll help too," Knight said and started to follow.

Nikko grabbed his all-too-innocent fox and pulled him close.  "Bishop didn't lose his wallet."

"But, he said-"

" _Knight_."  Then Nikko stood up on his tip-toes, planting a kiss on Knight's lips.

Knight responded immediately, hands landing on Nikko's hips as he pressed into the kiss.  They would only have this moment; they had to make the best of it.  So their tongues darted out, licking, taking away a last taste until they could be together again.  Nikko savored the flavor.

They stepped apart just before the others returned, and Nikko raised a finger as if lecturing.  "And don't cause any trouble for Buck."

"Okay, Nikko," Knight answered, always agreeable, not realizing he was playing along.

"Somehow, it ended up under the couch," Buck said as he pointed a thumb at the wallet in Bishop's hands.

Nikko sent a knowing look towards Bishop, but all he said was "Well, at least it was found."  Then he stood up straighter and looked back to Buck.  "Then, I guess we'll get going.  Thanks for dinner."

"Thanks for comin'."

Next, Nikko turned to Gus.  "I'm glad you're doing better.  You and Knight have fun, okay?"

Gus turned away, guilt still wrapping around his features from the way he had snarled at Nikko, ages ago.  The wolf was hard on himself.  But still, he managed to say "Thanks..."

Finally, Nikko turned back to Knight.  "Be good, okay?  We'll come back for you on Sunday."

"Okay," Knight said again.  His smile and voice were both soft, holding a tremble.  "Bye-bye, Nikko."

It struck a chord in Nikko, and he had to remind himself that this was just a temporary farewell.  The real one wasn't for years to come.

When they were finally out on the street, Nikko smiled at Bishop.  "I guess it's just us for a while."

Bishop returned with a nod.

 

 

 

 

The nights were cold and lonely; something was missing from the apartment.  Nikko always thought the apartment might be too small for three people, but missing the tallest member of their family made the place seem huge.  He could hardly believe he used to live there alone.

Nikko took over Knight's chores.  It had been a while since he had done any real cooking, but as long as the meals contained meat, Bishop didn't care if they were basic.  Garbage only had to be taken out once, and there weren't that many dishes to wash from just the two of them.

He was left with a lot of one-on-one time with Bishop, which was something they hadn't really had before.  It was good for them.  Unlike Knight, Bishop didn't bombard Nikko with questions as soon as he stepped in the door every day.  Part of it was simply due to Bishop's intelligence, and part of it due to all the extra work and reading Bishop did.  By the time Nikko was around for questioning, Bishop had a full grasp of his studies.

Another part of it, though, was that Bishop just didn't have the curiosity Knight had.  Knight's thoughts moved from one thing to another, and studying one topic often led him to questioning things seemingly unrelated.

Nikko smiled.  His dog and fox were so different, but both utterly precious.

"Do you want to go shopping tomorrow?" Nikko asked as he finished putting together Bishop's bag for the next day.  Bishop spent the days while Nikko was at work with Ginger, too young to be left alone all day, every day.  It took a bit of extra time to drop him off and pick him up each day – a parent taking his child to daycare – but it made Nikko feel considerably better.

Bishop looked up from the puzzle book he had been working on.  He had jotted down an array of letters and numbers that were alien to Nikko but clearly held the key to whatever word problem the dog was working on.  "Shopping?"

"Yeah.  It would be good for you to get out, and you still don't have many clothes of your own, so I thought it would be nice to go shopping together and get you a new outfit or two.  What do you think?"

Bishop's eyes moved to stare off to the side for a moment, and then he nodded.

Nikko smiled.  "All right.  After I pick you up tomorrow, we'll head up to the mall."

Since the following day was Friday, Nikko was able to fetch Bishop early and stop home to change his clothes with plenty of time left in the day to hit up the mall.  The place was crawling with teenagers, brash and loud, which kicked Nikko's anxiety up two notches.  Bishop seemed to sense it, standing closer than he normally would, and Nikko appreciated the gesture.

Bishop's fashion sense, like everything else, was different from Knight's.  Whereas Knight leaned towards casual and comfortable, Bishop seemed attracted to slightly more formal wear.  He usually ended up wearing Nikko's work shirts and slacks, even just to sit around at home, so it wasn't a surprise when the dog avoided trendy shops aimed at the young and young-at-heart and instead investigated stores featuring business attire.  He picked out a couple crisp shirts from the sale rack and a sharp vest, and when Nikko added a sleek, lilac necktie to the bill, Bishop actually smiled.  He stared at the necktie – his very first one, all his own – while the cashier rang them up, and something like amazement lit up in his violet eyes when the shopping bags were handed to him.

In another shop, Bishop began to check out a stiff, black fedora, but something about it made Nikko cringe inexplicably.  He directed Bishop's attention to a nice homburg instead, with the dog picking out a dark gray one in wool.  It suited him.

Nikko almost lost Bishop in a department store; his heart thudded hard in near panic when he realized the dog wasn't next to him anymore.  He ran through the store, calling Bishop's name, dreading the thought of having to go to a register and asking if they could page him.  He didn't even know if Bishop would understand a page or be able to follow where he was instructed to go.  Calling Bishop's cell yielded no reply, and reluctantly Nikko began heading to the cash registers.

He found Bishop by accident along the way.  The dog was in the bedding department, squishing pillows between his hands as though testing them for softness or firmness or something.  Nikko sighed in relief as he began walking to where Bishop was, but then he saw Bishop fold a selected pillow in half and then begin to tug down his pants.

"No!  No!"  Nikko took off running down the aisle.  Luckily, Bishop paused what he was doing to watch Nikko long enough for Nikko to reach him and take the pillow from him.  "You can't do that here, okay?"

Bishop's brows drew together.

"I know," Nikko said, face warming.  "I know it... it feels good, but you can't do it in public.  Do you understand?"  When Bishop shook his head, Nikko bit his lip in thought.  "Humans keep their...  their genitals covered at all times.  Right?  That's why we wear clothes.  Our bodies are private."

"Why?"

"Well..."  Nikko didn't have a real answer for that, so he took an educated guess.  "It has to do with history and religion.  Our culture has evolved that way, so now if you show your private part in public or make it feel good, you'll get in a _lot_ of trouble."

Bishop's brow creased, but he didn't say anything else about it.

"I know, humans are weird."  Nikko chuckled, a half-nervous sound, as he put the pillow back down on the display bed.  This kind of topic was why he taught elementary school and nothing higher.  Well, that and because older kids tended to be bigger than he was.  "Would you like to grab some dinner?"

At Bishop's nod, they headed to the food court, where even Nikko's senses were overwhelmed by the myriad variety of food available.  They walked around slowly with Bishop's nose quivering, inevitably leading them to the gyudon vendor.

"Meat again?" Nikko teased.  "Are you sure?"  And when Bishop looked at him like he was crazy for even questioning it, Nikko laughed.  "Okay.  How about you go save us a table and I'll get us some beef bowls."

"Save?"  Bishop's head tilted.

"Yeah, just..."  He glanced around, finding a suitable empty table out of the way.  "Ah, see that table there?  Just go sit there and wait for me.  Okay?"  He gave a thumbs-up for confirmation.

Bishop nodded and stepped away; Nikko watched until Bishop was sat, then turned and queued up at the beef place.

When he had a tray laden with two steaming bowls of gyudon clutched tightly in his tiny hands, Nikko turned to the table he had directed Bishop to.  The dog was still there, thankfully, and he was staring intently at the food on another table nearby.  The teenage girls there were saying rude things, like "Stop staring, freak" and "What the fuck is wrong with you?" but Bishop didn't seem to notice the comments were directed at him.  He must have been hungry – he was practically drooling on himself.

"Bishop," Nikko said quietly to get the dog's attention as he set the tray down at their table.  "Don't beg."

"Hey," one of the girls called to Nikko.  "If your kid is retarded, maybe you shouldn't let him wander around alone."

Nikko just gave his best reprimanding teacher look, then ignored them.  "It's not nice to stare at other people's food.  It makes it seem like you expect them to give it to you."

Bishop nodded repeatedly.

"Nobody is going to give you their food."

The nodding stopped, and what little expression Bishop held fell.

Nikko almost laughed, but continued his lecture.  "If you want to share food with friends and family, it's okay if you ask nicely, but not with strangers.  Never share with strangers.  Okay?"

Bishop looked away for a moment, and then asked "Can we share?"

That time, Nikko did laugh.  Bishop's subtle personality made each of his quirks all the more amusing, even lightly colored traits appearing bright against the monotone backdrop of Bishop.  "Sure," Nikko replied.  Then, knowing in this case 'share' meant 'gimmie', he moved a few slices of beef from his own bowl to Bishop's.  Afterwards, Nikko held up the sticks he wielded, asking "Do you want to learn how to use chopsticks?"

Bishop nodded again, and the lesson began.

"Hold one stick in the crook between your thumb and forefinger, like this."  He showed Bishop how he kept the lone stick nestled in his hand and waited for Bishop to mimic it.  "Good.  Now hold the second one in your fingers like how you would hold a pencil.  See?"  He held his hand up so Bishop could see, then closed and opened his chopsticks a couple times.  "You can move it like you would move a pencil too.  That's how we pick stuff up with them."  To illustrate, Nikko picked up a strip of his beef and popped it into his mouth, smiling as he chewed.

Bishop watched, then looked down at the sticks in his hand, testing them out.  Going for a piece of his own food, Bishop trial-and-errored the angle and grip he needed to pick stuff up properly.  The first few tries were unsuccessful, but he quickly got the hang of it, and was rewarded with a mouthful of beef and rice.

"You got it," Nikko said in encouragement, then scooped another bit of gyudon into his mouth.

Bishop's chewing slowed, and then stopped.  He was silent a moment, then said suddenly "You're a good teacher."

Nikko paused, then simply said "Nah, I'm pretty average" while his eyes averted.

"I always understand when you teach me things."

"That's because you're so smart."

Bishop just shook his head.  He fell silent again, but looked like he wanted to say more.  His food had been forgotten, unusual for the carnivorous dog, and Nikko held off on eating any more, patiently waiting to see what was on Bishop's mind.

Finally, Bishop asked "May I ask a question?"

"Of course," Nikko answered.

"It's not related to my studies."

"Bishop..."  Then Nikko smiled again.  "You can ask me anytime about anything.  Anything at all.  And I'll try my best to answer."

He seemed to consider it, gears turning in that sharp mind of his, and then he asked "Why do you always say you're average?"

"Because..."  Because he wasn't the best, though sometimes he dreamed he could be, but he didn't necessarily feel he was _bad_ at his job.  He was just... kind of there, doing the best he could but sure it wasn't always good enough.  "I am."  He shrugged.  "I'm in the middle between great and awful.  I'm average."

"Are humans really so easily divided?"

"I..."  And Nikko's gaze dropped.  "I guess not."

"Why are you short?"  Despite sounding like a joke, Bishop looked dead serious.  He wasn't the joking type.

And Nikko _had_ said 'anything'.  "I was just born this way.  I'm a runt, like you."

"Why did you join this program?"

Well, it seemed Bishop's curiosity was showing at last; he just needed the right topic.  Nikko wasn't sure how he felt about being that topic.  "Because..."

He remembered everything, how this all started, like it was yesterday.  He remembered finding the flyer, dirty and trampled, and feeling compelled to follow it, unaware of how it would change his life so drastically.  He remembered seeing Knight for the first time, looking so lonely, timid, so scared of being hopeful.  He remembered being shocked and confused, but ultimately giving in because he didn't want that lovely fox to cry anymore.

Nikko smiled.  "It was an accident.  I went to the facility thinking it was a regular pet shop, and I was very wrong."  Bishop only nodded, and Nikko continued with "But then I met Knight and... I just wanted to help him."

"Why do you love him?"

A blush sprang to Nikko's cheeks.  He wanted to invoke some right against criminalizing himself; instead, he slowly answered "I suppose... because he's so genuinely kind.  The way he's so thoughtful and caring, it's not just an act.  He's really a nice guy.  And he's so cute and friendly."  It was just the tip of the iceberg, but Nikko left it at that.  If he waxed on about Knight any more, his face might catch fire.  "How about you?"  He turned the question around – it was only fair.

"Me?"

"Yeah.  If you don't mind me asking.  Why is it only Knight can touch you?  Ah, but you don't have to answer if you don't want to."

For a moment, Bishop was still.  Then he answered "I feel uncomfortable when people touch me.  I don't know why, but it makes me feel... threatened.  I can't explain it.  But with him... I don't get that feeling.  But I don't understand it myself."  He paused, then added "I'm sorry."

Nikko chuckled.  "Don't be sorry.  You can't help it."

"Slowly... you're becoming okay too."

That brought a smile to Nikko's lips.  "I'm glad."  Then the smile broadened.  "Because I really, really want to pet your ears."

Bishop's eyes went wide.

 

 

 

 

"Nikko!"

He was greeted with a tight hug when he entered Buck's house on Sunday, glad to have his fox back, though he had enjoyed his quality time with Bishop.  He had been allowed one pet of Bishop's ears, and it meant the world to Nikko.

"Knight, how was your week?" Nikko asked once he could breathe again.

"It was fun!" Knight chirped.  Then almost immediately his expression dropped.  "It was... mostly fun, but sometimes difficult."  That was to be expected.

"He was a big help," Buck added.  "I'da probably gone crazy if he weren't here."

"Is Gus doing alright?"

A half-smile pulled on Buck's lips.  "There were a few tantrums, but he's managin'."

"We played video games!" Knight chirped happily.

" _Did_ you?"

"Yes!"  Then Knight tugged on Nikko's arm.  "Come see!"

They went to the living room, where Gus sat on the floor, game controller between his feet.  On the large-screen TV in front of him, a fighting game had been paused mid-match, the scores roughly even.  One of his long canines peeked over his lip as he smiled and gave a wave, greeting with his usual "Yo."

"Watch what he can do!" Knight said, and then he plopped down on the floor, taking up the abandoned second controller.  "Ready?"

"Yep."  Gus gripped his controller between his clawed feet, then spread his left hand over the top.  The game was resumed, and even Nikko felt awe and pride over how Gus had figured out how to play one-handed.  He maneuvered the joystick with his palm while his fingers hit the buttons; his toes flexed, tapping the top buttons with his nails.  It was impressive.

"Took 'em two days to figure it out, but you shoulda seen their faces when it finally worked," Buck said, beaming.

Knight won the match, but not by a huge margin.  Then Gus looked over to Bishop, asked "Wanna play?" clearly having no idea what he was getting himself into when Bishop took him up on the offer.  As Bishop sat beside him, Gus's eyes flitted over his body.  "Nice vest."

Bishop paused, scooted several inches away, and said his trademark "Please don't touch me."

Nikko laughed at the exchange.  Things were definitely getting back to normal.


	33. Sunlight Smile

 

 

 

Nikko's body was covered in scars.

Well, maybe not _covered_ , but he had a lot; more than Knight had seen on any other human.  It wasn't that Knight noticed it for the first time that night, lying snuggled up in bed, but he finally understood what they were, what they meant.  After spending so many days helping Gus, watching Gus's body heal itself with telltale stripes marking each place he had been cut open, Knight finally got what scars were.

They meant Nikko had been hurt.

"Nikko?" Knight questioned.

"Hm?"

"Why is there a scar here?"  He touched the small, white line under Nikko's chin.

"I don't know," Nikko answered.  "I've had it for as long as I can remember, since I was a child.  My grandmother said it was from chicken pox."

"What's chicken pox?"

"It's a disease kids get.  It makes these little red bumps, and sometimes kids scratch them accidentally and it leaves a scar."

"Oh..."  Next, he touched one on Nikko's finger.  "How about this one?"

Nikko gave a small laugh.  "When I was a teenager, I punched my hand through a window."

Knight gasped.  "Why!?"

"I was really mad at the time.  But... I don't remember why."

A pout found its way to Knight's lip, and then he moved on to the next one – the biggest one.  It started a few inches below Nikko's collar bone, running up over his shoulder, ended just above his shoulder blade.  "How about this one?" he asked again.

Nikko went stiff.  "That one..."  Then he lifted his arm, showing off two more scars running across his forearm, a pair of stripes crossing his wrist.  He seemed to look at them a long time, something painful brewing in his dark eyes.

It made Knight's heart hurt, and he didn't even know why.  "Nikko?"

Nikko's arm dropped, moving to slide around Knight's shoulder.  "I...  I used to be really sad," he answered.

A whimper escaped Knight's throat.  He didn't want Nikko to ever be sad – not now; not in the past.  "Why?" he whispered.

"At one point in my life, I lost everything.  I lost a person I loved very much, I lost all my friends, I lost a lot of money, and I almost lost my job.  All at the same time."

When Nikko went silent, Knight thought it was probably bad that he asked.  Nikko probably didn't want to talk about it.  So, soft as the dimly lit room, he said "I'm sorry.  You don't have to talk about it."

Nikko shook his head.  "It's okay.  It's just...  At that time, I was so hurt all the time.  My heart hurt, and I thought I might feel better if my body hurt too.  Or I thought I could bleed the pain out of me.  I thought I deserved to be as ugly on the outside as I was on the inside.  So I...  I cut myself.  I took a razor and made myself bleed and the pain distracted me from all the sadness."

"Ni-"  Knight choked.  "Nikko..."  His tears were hot, burning his eyes, pools of crystal lava.

"This one..."  Nikko ran a finger along the big scar over his shoulder.  "This was from the last time I ever did it."

"I'm sorry, Nikko."  Knight looked up from where he was cuddled at Nikko's side, and saw Nikko smile.

"Don't be."

"But I made you remember..."

"It's okay.  I'm better now."

"You're not sad anymore?"

Nikko's hand ran up and down Knight's arm, comforting.  "Sometimes I am, but then I remember I live in a world where Knight exists, and I feel better."

At that, Knight finally smiled.  He made Nikko happy!  It filled him with joy and energy, and he uncurled from where he was, moving up to hover over Nikko.  "I want Nikko to be happy, always."  Then he leaned down and kissed the scar over Nikko's shoulder.

"You're doing a good job making me happy," Nikko replied with a smile in his voice as his hands came up to dig into Knight's hair.

Knight chuckled, then moved up again to kiss Nikko on the lips, loving the taste, loving the touch, loving Nikko.  Their mouths opened and their tongues touched; Nikko's arms held him closer as Knight settled carefully on top of Nikko's body.  For a long time, they just lay together, kissing and tasting and getting their fill, though it never seemed to be enough.  As they kissed, Nikko's hands slid up to rub at Knight's ears, and it felt so _good_.  It made Knight want to lean in to the touch, made him want to be closer to Nikko, made his genital go hard.

His hips pressed down and he whimpered as a jolt went through him.  "Nikko...  I want...  I want Nikko..."  Nikko's sweet scent was there, but only a little.  If he licked it, Nikko would get hard; they could do sex and Knight would get to hear Nikko's pretty voice make those sounds.  Just remembering those sounds made Knight's tail curl.

Or he could taste Nikko.  He could keep on licking until Nikko came in his mouth, and then Knight would get to taste that delicious flavor of Nikko.

He wanted both.

"I want to taste Nikko," Knight whimpered.

"You can."

"No, I want to sex Nikko."

Nikko laughed lightly.  "You can do that too."

"I want both."

"Knight, it doesn't have to be one or the other."

Knight pouted.  He didn't understand, because it wasn't like he could do both.  If he tasted Nikko, then Nikko would get very sensitive and doing sex might hurt.  But if they did sex, then Nikko's flavor would go onto the bed, and Knight couldn't lick it out of the sheets.  The one time he tried, it ended up tasting like fabric softener.

His ears drooped; his tail went limp, and Nikko smiled.  After another kiss, Nikko pulled back and said "Get...  Get the lubricant."

Knight complied, moving to reach the nightstand drawer.  If Nikko wanted sex, they would do that, and Knight was glad the decision had been made for him.  When he had the bottle of gel in hand, though, Nikko was still laying on his back, instead of getting up so Knight could mount him.  "Nikko?"

Nikko was still for a moment, and then he pulled his t-shirt off, revealing the few other scars on his chest and stomach – Knight wondered if those ones had stories behind them, or if they were self-inflicted.  Next, Nikko's hands went to his sleep pants, but then he paused, still so shy.  Humans were funny about hiding their bodies, even in front of lovers.  So with a smile, Knight helped Nikko along, tugging the loose pants down and whisking them away.

He liked being able to see Nikko's body, so small and pale.  He wanted to touch every part of Nikko, and he could now.  He could run his hands up Nikko's thin legs, so he did; he could trace the lines of Nikko's hip bones, so he did.  And he could slide his fingers along the length of Nikko's penis, so he did, feeling it grow harder in his hand, filling with lust.

Nikko gasped as Knight rubbed him, making those nice sounds already.  His sweet scent was stronger, overwhelming, making Knight even harder.  He wanted to be inside Nikko.  His voice was a whimper when he again said " _Nikko_..."

Lifting his legs, Nikko held his knees to his chest.  "Li- Like this...  Knight.  Let's do it like this..."

"How...?"  But it was easy to understand, even for Knight.  Folded as he was made Nikko's bottom lift off the bed, exposing him.  It was different than usual, but Knight trusted Nikko.  So he flipped open the bottle of lubricant, moving to prepare Nikko's body as he had been shown.

He squeezed the gel into his hands, rubbing to warm it before slicking it onto Nikko's skin.  Nikko's body was warm and pink, tinted by a blush, and Knight was careful with it.  He didn't ever want to hurt Nikko.  So he made sure Nikko was wet, thoroughly coated, and then he slowly pushed a finger in.  Slowly, slowly; Nikko said to always go slowly, and though Knight's own erection was hard and painful and he wanted _so badly_ to be inside Nikko, he went slowly as he moved the finger in and out.

"Can I do more now?" Knight asked, looking up at Nikko's face.

"Yeah."  Nikko's breathing was careful, his eyes closed.  His penis was fully hard now, rising between his lifted legs to lie on his stomach.

Knight leaned down and licked Nikko's erection as he pressed a second finger in, and Nikko gasped.  Already, Nikko's flavor came in droplets at the tip, smearing onto his stomach, and Knight licked them away as he continued to loosen Nikko's hole with his fingers.  It tasted good – too, too good – and Knight whined.  " _Nikko_."

"Okay," Nikko said, music to Knight's ears.  "I'm ready now."

So Knight pulled out his fingers, tore off his pajamas, and sat in front of Nikko's folded body.  This position wasn't instinctual for him; he had to think about what to do, where to put his hands, where Nikko's legs would go.  One hand went to Nikko's hip; the other took hold of his own erection, aiming carefully as he now knew to do.  His hips pushed forward and slowly, slowly, he began to sink into Nikko's body.

Bit by bit Knight was surrounded by Nikko's heat, the warmth spreading through him as their bodies joined.  Pleasure ran through his genital, his hips, his legs and body and everywhere, and it still wasn't enough.  Even when their hips were pressed fully together, Knight all the way inside, it wasn't enough.  He needed to move; he needed to mate.

He couldn't hold Nikko like this, couldn't wrap his arms around him and squeeze him tight.  But he could see Nikko's face, and it was a welcome difference.  Nikko's eyes were barely open, mere slits hiding liquid brown jewels.  He panted lightly, breath hot, and his small hands held on to his legs as if his life depended on it.  Knight liked being able to see Nikko like this.

He drew his hips back, sliding his erection along the soft walls inside Nikko, then pushed in again, pulling a gasp from Nikko.  It felt so good; he needed so much more.  With his hands holding on to Nikko's hips, Knight began to move.  He thrust in and out, each movement making him moan in pleasure, making Nikko cry out.  And still he needed more.

He moved faster, hips slamming against Nikko's, a pressure building up inside that only spurred him to press harder.  Nikko's eyes clenched tightly shut, teeth bared – he looked like he was going out of his mind with pleasure, which only made Knight love him so much more.  He could make Nikko feel good, and it filled Knight with joy, with pleasure, with ecstasy.

And then Nikko's whole body went stiff and he screamed out Knight's name.  His teeth clenched and his hole squeezed around Knight, and Knight continued to thrust into the tightened passage.  It was good, good, felt so _good_ , and Knight couldn't stop the inevitable orgasm that wracked his body.  He moaned loudly, hands gripping Nikko's hips too tightly as his seed shot deep into Nikko, marking him.

He was totally spent.  His body slumped forward, just barely catching himself on his arms, and his breath came heavy.  Yet somehow he managed to crawl forward and lean down, delivering a kiss to Nikko's lips as Nikko let his legs fall along either side of Knight.

"Nikko!  That felt good, Nikko."

"Mm, for me too."  Nikko's voice was soft as he raised a hand to run a thumb across Knight's cheek.  Then he gave a clever smile, saying "Knight..." and poked Knight's nose with a finger, pushing down to direct Knight's gaze.

Knight's eyes fell to Nikko's navel, and they widened in two parts surprise, one part joy.  Nikko's cum had splashed onto his stomach, pooling there, waiting to be cleaned up.  Mouth watering, Knight cheered "Nikko's flavor!" before he moved to lap at the cooling liquid.

It was a delicacy, the sweet taste mixing perfectly with the salt of Nikko's skin.  So much better than trying to get it out of the sheets.  Knight liked running his tongue over Nikko's body.  When a drop tried to escape down Nikko's side, Knight chased after it, causing Nikko to squeak adorable and twitch.  Knight just chuckled; his tail curled, and he continued to lick across Nikko's flesh until every hint of flavor was gone, and then a little bit longer.

When he came back up, Knight saw a smile gracing Nikko's lips.  His small hand brushed through Knight's bangs a few times, rubbed at an ear, slid along a black horn, as if Nikko couldn't get enough of touching Knight.  And quietly, quietly, Nikko said "You make me _so_ happy."

Knight's heart stopped.  It became difficult to breathe.  "Nikko!  Nikko, I'm dying!"

"What?"

"I think-  I think I love Nikko too much!  I'm dying!"

Nikko laughed, a pure sound that only made Knight's chest squeeze more.  "You're not dying," Nikko said between chuckles.

"But my chest feels funny.  And my stomach too.  And my feet."

Nikko's expression softened.  "Thank you," he said with a gentle smile, though Knight didn't know what he had done to earn it.  Nikko didn't seem to be taking his impending demise very seriously.  "But if you die, I'll be sad."

Knight gasped.  "I don't want Nikko to be sad!"

"I know, so you'll have to make sure you don't die."

Knight nodded solemnly.  "I'll try."

He would have to work really hard, but he would do everything in his power to make sure Nikko stayed happy.  He didn't want Nikko to be sad ever again, because he loved Nikko _so much_.

Scars and all.


	34. Miscommunication

 

 

 

Sometimes, he just didn't understand things.  Not because he couldn't learn – if it was in a book he came to understand it very quickly.  But it turned out, in the real world of humans, there were some things that couldn't be learned from books.  Some things he didn't even know he didn't know, and the only way to learn of them was to come across them naturally.

Sometimes, the words just weren't there.  Not because he didn't get language; though he couldn't remember actively learning human language – it was just kind of there when he became self-aware – he assumed someone taught it to him at some point.  It was more like, he simply hadn't yet come across those words or concepts in life yet.  Or sometimes it was because words were used in unexpected ways, like when he was asked to "save" a table.  Words were interesting; he looked forward to learning more about them.

He had no idea what 'Halloween' was when Knight and Nikko talked about it.  As Knight put the finishing touches on dinner and Nikko set the table, they talked about a 'Halloween party', with Knight looking down softly, saying that he didn't want to go.

Nikko's eyes went sad – Bishop understood that look, at least, though human emotions still confused him sometimes – and he nodded, seeming to understand Knight's thoughts.  Then Nikko turned to him, asking "How about Bishop?  Do you want to go?"

He didn't know what 'Halloween' was, but he knew 'party'.  Parties involved a lot of people, and often ended up with people touching him – sometimes by accident; sometimes on purpose.  Parties were supposed to be fun, but Bishop would just as well stay home, and he said as much with a shake of his head.

A smile flitted across Nikko's face that Bishop didn't understand – either simple understanding or happy to skip the gathering himself, Bishop deduced – and he said "All right.  We'll sit this one out."

"I'm sorry, Nikko."  Knight's voice was soft.

Nikko only shook his head.  "Don't be.  After what happened at the last one...  Well, I hear not many people are going anyway.  The picnic was only a few weeks ago, so nobody's really interested in another event so soon.  Ginger and Buck have both already said they're not going."

Knight nodded as he began to dish out servings of macaroni and cheese.  They had been having a lot of starches lately, less meat and fruit.  "I'll miss the candy, though."

None of it made sense to Bishop.  He wanted to understand, though, and Nikko had said it was okay to ask any question at any time, even if it wasn't related to his studies.  So he asked "What's Halloween?"  And Nikko explained it to him so practiced and smooth, he must have given the same explanation before.  It was easy to understand, as Nikko's explanations always were, even if Bishop still didn't get humans' need to make certain days special.

"I think I like Christmas better anyway," Knight said, and then a look came over him, as though he had just remembered something.  His eyes turned down, and he stared quietly into his bowl of macaroni.

 

 

 

Sometimes, they fought.  It wasn't very often, and usually it was a battle of trying to please each other.  Knight got excited easily and his voice would rise; Nikko would get inversely quiet in response.  When he stopped speaking altogether, it was time to run, though Bishop had only seen that once and it wasn't because of Knight or anything Bishop knew anything about, but rather because of something on his computer.  Knight only said it must have been an email from Nikko's family.

Bishop didn't understand, because he thought he and Knight were Nikko's family.  He didn't ask about it, though.

Like a family, they went grocery shopping together.  It was fine as long as none of the general public touched him, but sometimes they did.  Sometimes they brushed by too closely; sometimes they were looking at their phones instead of where they were walking.  Their shoulders or elbows would bump into Bishop, setting off alarms in his head like he was under attack.  Fight or flight?  But Nikko assured him it was safe; Knight's protective and gentle touch grounded him.  He didn't know why he was this way; he wanted to learn.

To expedite the shopping experience, Bishop had charted out a systematic course of the grocery store, allowing them to be in and out with everything they needed in a timely manner, and Knight and Nikko both agreed to his strategy with no issue, both with smiles on their faces like they thought it was humorous.

Bishop frowned when more macaroni and cheese went into their cart, but at least this week hamburger was on sale, so they got some extra of that.  In the coffee aisle, Knight swooped down to grab a canister of coffee, holding it up triumphantly.  His happy smile made Bishop's heart tingle in that weird way it did whenever Knight was being especially cute.

Nikko stopped him before he could drop the canister into the cart.  "No, not that one."  When Knight's smile dropped, replaced with confusion, Nikko said "Let's get Chain Mart brand this time."

"But...  Nikko always drinks Yuuto brand coffee."

"Yes, but this time I'd like something different.  I think they taste the same anyway."

"Oh...  Okay..."  Knight replaced the canister on the shelf, grabbing a metallic blue bag in its stead and dropping it into the cart.  He didn't say another word for the next four aisles.

Leftover Halloween candy was on its final, _final_ after Halloween sale; ninety-percent off, a super deal, according to the sign.  Nikko picked up a bag and showed Knight.  "Want some?"

"No," Knight answered as he stared off down the aisle.

"Are you sure?"

"Mm," Knight nodded his response.

Nikko's hand dropped limp to his side, still clutching the bag of candy.  "Knight, what's wrong?"

Knight continued to look away for a moment, and then his expression and scent turned sad as his eyes moved to Nikko.  "Nikko...  I can't decide if I should do the work program again this year.  I want to buy everyone Christmas presents..."

"Oh...  Well...  You can if you want to," Nikko replied.

"But Bishop can't work, and it wouldn't be fair if I get to buy presents but he can't."  It was odd for Knight to be thinking of him when Bishop had given no indication he wanted to buy presents or even knew what Christmas was.

"Well..."  Nikko put the bag of candy down as he began to speak again.  "Then don't do the work program.  I'll give you both money to buy presents with."

"I can't buy Nikko's present with Nikko's money!"

Nikko gave a small sigh, as if they'd had this argument before.  "Then I'll give you money to buy something for Bishop.  You don't have to get me anything."

"I want to get Nikko something!"

"Then do the work program and buy the gifts.  I'll give Bishop money so he can buy stuff too."

"No!"

Nikko's voice dropped several decibels.  "Knight, why are you being difficult about this?"

"Because..."

" _Knight_."

"Because Nikko can't afford to give us money!"

And lower still.  "Knight, you have no way of knowing what I can and can not afford."

"I do know!" Knight shouted.  If they didn't already have the gazes of all the nearby customers on them, they certainly would have then.  Though Nikko's face turned red, Knight didn't seem to notice or care, continuing to yell.  "I know because Nikko is getting Chain Mart coffee, but you hate Chain Mart coffee!"

Nikko's jaw clenched shut.  His hands gripped the cart handle tightly; they seemed to shake ever so slightly.  There was a deathly silent moment, with Bishop stuck between the quarreling lovers, eyes looking from one to the other, and then Nikko suddenly walked away.  He directed the cart toward the cash registers, steps swift, fleeing.

Knight's eyes went wide, chasing after Nikko, leaving Bishop to follow.  "Nikko!" Knight called, tears in his eyes already.  "Nikko, I'm sorry!"

There was no response.

"Nikko, let's finish shopping!"

That made Nikko whirl on Knight, fire in his eyes as he spat out "I can't _afford_ to do any more shopping."  Then he turned away again.

The groceries were bought and paid for in silence, quiet tears rolling down Knight's face.  Even the cashier barely spoke, sensing the dark cloud around the trio.  She practically whispered the total.  The trip home went silently as well, and as soon as they were there Nikko went to his room, closing the door hard behind him, leaving Knight and Bishop to put the groceries away.

"I think... I was stupid again," Knight said as he stared at the bag of Chain Mart brand coffee in his hands.  "Humans hate talking about money.  I shouldn't have said anything."

Bishop thought about it for a moment, then simply said "I think there's more to it than that."

Knight pouted.  "Like what?"

"It's getting cold out."

"But Nikko likes the cold," Knight said, a spot of confusion touching his brow.  "It doesn't make him angry like heat does."

Bishop shook his head, but didn't say any more.  He could be wrong, after all.

 

 

 

Slow 'click, click, clicks' of the keyboard were the only sound in the otherwise quiet room, until the bedroom door opened.  Bishop had been sitting on the floor, on the verge of solving how old Sally was, who was half George's age, two years older than Billy.  Ink fingerprints dotted his puzzle book; he was almost finished with it.

On the couch behind him, doing what humans called 'lounging', Knight researched something he kept to himself on Nikko's laptop computer.  He was still upset when he first popped open the computer, but as he got more engrossed in whatever it was he was doing, his mood seemed to lighten.  His tail began to flop back and forth idly, sometimes hitting Bishop in the head.  It made him happy.

Knight had gasped just before Nikko appeared in the living room.

"Knight..."

The fox sprang to his knees, tail curling.  "Nikko!"

"Knight, I'm sorry," Nikko said as he sat on the couch beside Knight.  "I shouldn't have gotten so mad."

"No..."  Knight shook his head.  "It's my fault...  Nikko's money is none of my business."

"It _is_ your business."  Nikko looked to Bishop then; this was for him too.  "Because we're a family, so it concerns all of us.  And the truth is, money is a little bit tighter than I expected.  We're doing okay so far, but winter is coming, and Bishop is going to need a heavy coat and warmer clothes.  Those cost money.  And I want to be able to buy you guys Christmas presents as well.  So I want to save a little more for those things."  He gave a tiny smile then.  "I guess...  It just hurts my pride when I worry about not being able to provide for you guys."

"I'm sorry too, Nikko!"  Knight's eyes were wet again.  "I didn't know what to do, and I wanted Nikko to find the solution for me.  But I need to find my own answer!"

"We can work on finding a solution together.  And Bishop too."  Nikko smiled at him.  "Right?"

Bishop looked away, still confused by the holes in his knowledge.  "I don't understand any of this," he said quietly.

Nikko's smile turned up.  "Christmas is a holiday, but it's kind of special because everyone gives presents to each other."

"Why?"

"A long time ago, some kings gave presents to a baby on Christmas.  Now it's become a tradition."

"Remember how good it felt to give Nikko a present for his birthday?" Knight asked, and at Bishop's nod he continued.  "Christmas is like that, but even better because everyone gives to everyone, so everyone feels happy."  His smile was blinding.

"But presents don't have to be bought," Nikko said as he lifted a hand to Knight's head, scratching behind his ear.  "If you don't want to work but also don't want to take my money, you could always make something.  You could make a card or cook a special dinner or draw a nice picture.  It doesn't have to cost money.  As long as it comes from your heart, it'll make the recipient happy."

It was a human thing – frivolities just for the sake of making someone else feel good, receiving joy just from seeing someone else happy.  Honestly, Bishop had experienced it, feeling immense pleasure when they gave Nikko his birthday present.  He wouldn't mind experiencing that again; he wouldn’t mind seeing Knight's eyes light up because of a gift Bishop had given him.

He nodded.  "I would like to give presents too."

Nikko smiled.  "I _can_ give you some money if you need."

"Nikko!  Nikko!"  Knight shook Nikko's shoulder.  "I might have found a solution!"

"Oh?"  Nikko raised a brow, smile pulling to the side.  He looked enamored and amused at Knight's enthusiasm.

"Look!"  Then Knight pulled over the abandoned laptop.  "There's going to be a video game contest in three weeks, and the prize is a lot of money!  I'm sure Bishop can win!  And I'll do the work program!  Everyone can buy everyone presents, and Nikko can get Yuuto brand coffee!"

It was hard not to fall in love with Knight all over again.  Nikko had been absolutely right when he said Knight was so genuinely kind.  And though Bishop knew he could never be with Knight – could never be his mate, as Nikko was – he allowed himself a silent moment of adoration.  His tail began to wag.

Nikko pet Knight's head, brushing his ears back, only for them to spring up again.  "You brilliant little fox."  Knight leaned into the touch, cooing at the petting – Bishop wished he could make Knight make those sounds.  "It's up to Bishop if he wants to do it, though," Nikko said next.

Bishop nodded.  He didn't quite know how a contest worked, but if it was a way to buy presents without putting further strain on the family's finances, he would do it.  Knight seemed confident that he could get the prize money, and Bishop wanted to live up to his expectations.

"All right."  Nikko started to reach for the laptop, but then stopped, leaving it with Knight.  "You guys get Bishop signed up for the contest, and tomorrow we'll call Jack about the work program.  Okay?"

And Knight chirped an enthusiastic "Yes!"


	35. This Year

 

 

 

It wasn't anything new for Nikko to be nervous.  Sometimes it seemed like he was nervous all the time, often dipping to flat-out anxiety, though the panic attacks became rarer as he grew older.  He was extra nervous, however, when Knight started his holiday work program again.  Mostly in that it left Bishop home alone half the day.  Bishop was still so young and there were a lot of things he didn't know, even if he was usually smart enough to figure them out.  He was also so small; if someone broke into the apartment, Bishop wouldn't be able to defend himself any more than a pug would.

It took a few days and a demonstration that Bishop could make decent enough sandwiches to feed himself without using the stove, but eventually Nikko got used to it.  It was a good thing, as his fifth-graders had started to ask why his leg bounced so much when he sat down and was he developing Parkinson's?

This year, Knight was assigned to work at the library, which was a perfect job for him.  He already knew where it was and loved the place, plus it was a much more social job, working the reception desk in addition to re-shelving books.  When Nikko came home from work each day, Knight filled him in on all the people he had talked to and helped, from an old man using a computer for the first time to an expecting mother looking for childcare books.  By his second week, Knight announced that he had been chosen to read books to a group of kindergarten students who were visiting, which he took as a great honor.  Nikko was beyond proud of his hardworking Knight.

The lack of a dress code was another bonus, allowing Knight to wear a hat while he worked, but the most comforting thing of all was that Bishop knew where the library was.  If he needed help or got lonely, he could run up there and Knight could take care of him, though the dog hadn't ever reported doing so.

Bishop spent his days practicing for the contest.  It would be a fighting game battle on a system Nikko didn't own, but luckily Buck had it and was happy to let them borrow it.  In a matter of days, Bishop had chosen which character he would use for the contest – the quick and powerful Chinese girl – and had memorized all her moves, as well as all of the other characters'.  He had filled a notebook with battle strategies to defeat any potential opponent no matter which character or combo they used, and even dedicated several pages to combat cheating.  He worked really hard, diligent as ever, and it made Nikko proud.

It also made Nikko sad.

There was no way Bishop would be assigned to work as a nurse at the facility after graduation.  He didn't have the interpersonal skills to become a coordinator, either.  No, he would be marketed as a master strategist and sold to the highest bidding government.  He would be used to wage war, treated like a tool instead of a human being.

Nikko gripped the notebook in his hands tightly.

Perhaps after the contest he should stop letting Bishop play video games.  He should buy some medical textbooks for Bishop to read, foster an interest in biology, though Bishop's science preference was for astronomy.  He had to protect Bishop; he couldn't let him be sent to war.

And Knight...  He didn't know.  Knight would make a great coordinator; he could work as a champion for hybrids.  But everyone had already seen Knight fight.  They already knew how strong he was, how much damage he could do with those horns.  There was no way...

"Nikko?"

He looked up at the voice, meeting Knight's concerned yellow gaze.  He hadn't realized he was spacing out.

"Is Nikko okay?"

"Yeah," Nikko answered, forcing a smile.  "Just thinking."  Then he handed the notebook back over to Bishop.  "This is very thorough.  You'll win, for sure."

Bishop's only reply was a slow nod.

 

 

 

He moved through the ranks easily, the first victor of all concurrent matches for the first several rounds.  Nikko only noticed the opponents were getting stronger when the games started taking longer, but Bishop continued to win, round after round.

He developed a reputation amongst the audience for being rude, because he wouldn't shake anyone's hand, and stuck-up, because he didn't smile.  Knight defended Bishop to the people around them for a while, trying to explain that Bishop just didn't like being touched, but eventually even he gave up, letting people think what they would with a pout on his face.

The top eight players were moved to game systems that were hooked up to giant screens, projecting their fights for everyone to see.  Dissenting as they were, the audience was at least impressed with Bishop's game play.  He even gained a few fans when he unleashed a twenty-nine-hit combo attack to obliterate his opponent and put him in the top four.

On the other side of the auditorium, a chubby kid began yelling about how his controller was broken, how the other player was cheating, how the game was rigged.  Nikko had noticed the kid several times throughout the tournament, bitching and making excuses whenever something didn't go right for him, rubbing it in the other players' faces when he won.  Typical spoiled brat and a poor winner to boot, but he clearly had skills, or at least knew what he was doing.  He made it to the top four as well, pitting him against last year's champion.

It was Bishop's toughest fight yet.  Nikko watched with rapt attention as the two players pecked away at each other's hit points, neither seeming to be able to get the upper hand.  It was only when the other kid made a mistake, messing up his timing, that Bishop was able to move in for the hard-fought kill.

Across the auditorium, loud kid was also victorious, whooping and hollering at his success.  He had beaten the previous champion, but she took it in stride, shaking the kid's hand and smiling before she left the play area.  Loud kid sneered when her back was turned.

It was finally down to Bishop and this obnoxious boy.  Neither of them offered to shake hands, and the kid's only comment was "Nice hat, faggot," acting big, like he had something to prove.  They sat at the final console, taking up their assigned controllers.  The tournament was down to one large screen, two of the other screens now featuring a video feed of each of the players' faces, having cameras turned on them, with an overlay displaying their names and chosen characters.  Bishop went with his Chinese girl; the loud kid – Taylor, the display said his name was – chose a large, Russian man.  And then the fight started.

Even Nikko was on the edge of his seat.  He wanted Bishop to win, to succeed.  Not because his own Christmas presents were on the line – he just really wanted Bishop to experience that feeling of victory and accomplishment.  He wanted Bishop to see the results of all his hard work.  He wanted to see Bishop smile.

Bishop's face was impassive as he played, something calculating in the depths of his violet eyes.  He didn't say a word, even when Taylor taunted him, saying "Nice one move, nerd.  Can't you do anything else?" and "Pile driver!  Just like I did to your mom last night!"  Bishop came off as stoic, though it was probably more likely that the dog simply didn't understand the senseless things that came out of his opponent's mouth.  It worked on a psychological level; Taylor sneered and his concentration dropped when he was unable to pry a response from Bishop.

The first round went to Bishop.  Nikko and Knight clasped hands and cheered for him, though the overhead screen showed Bishop's own reaction being little more than his eyes turning to the side, waiting for the next round to begin.

Taylor said something under his breath that the camera's microphone didn't pick up, but it seemed he had learned his lesson.  He didn't speak or sneer or in any way lose his concentration for the second round.  His eyes stayed focused on the screen, and a rather impressive grab and jump-spin combo that drove Bishop's character's face into the ground had him hooting his victory over round two.

Round three, the final, _final_ round of the tournament, had the audience wound up.  Every strong blow brought gasps and cheers from people not even playing, which, admittedly, also included Nikko.  Bishop seemed to have gained quite a following, the audience exploding with cheers and whistles whenever he pulled off some fantastic move, making Taylor's face twitch.

And then Bishop got pinned in the corner, his girl unable to jump over the huge, hairy opponent without getting hit, any low attacks being blocked.  His hit points were chipped away at, chiseling at his life and his hope, little by little.  At least he had come this far.

Then the audience screamed, going absolutely insane.  Nikko couldn't see what happened, didn't understand, because back in his day fighting games were simpler, lacking power gauges and trigger combos.  All he knew was that suddenly the Chinese girl's leg was a blur, hitting the Russian man so many times they both flew into the air, surrounded by fire and glowing light.  The combo-hit counter kept climbing – thirty hits, forty, fifty – and when the characters finally fell back to the animated ground, the big Russian was on fire.  The final hit count was an impressive fifty-seven-hit combo, and a huge 'K.O.' blazed onto the screen.

The host announced "We have a winner!" and the audience continued to cheer.

"He cheated!"  Taylor threw the controller at the game console.  "He fucking cheated!  That kind of combo isn't even possible!"

With a raised brow, the host, as well as the audience, looked to where a panel of judges – or perhaps they were referees – sat.  The three of them leaned in to each other, discussing the accusation, and then one of them stood and leaned to a microphone in front of her.  "The record combo for this generation of the game is seventy-nine hits, so it _is_ possible."

Taylor's face went red.  "This is such bullshit!"  Then he took a step towards Bishop, arm raised.

Knight was instantly on his feet, ready to defend his little brother if needed.  All Taylor did, though, was swipe at the brim of Bishop's hat, knocking it off his head.  And then the auditorium went silent.

"What-  What the hell are those!?" Taylor yelled, pointing at the ears on top of Bishop's head.  Bishop couldn't hold his ears down like many of the other students could.  Even if the young pup knew how, the popped shape of them wouldn't allow for it.  They were on display for everyone to see, and Nikko feared they might have to reveal that Bishop wasn't human.

But it worked itself out, in a way, when Taylor then screamed "Did I just lose to a furry!?  Gross!"  Then he snatched up his backpack and moved to stomp out of the auditorium, but not before turning back and sneering "Yiff in _hell_ , furfag."

Silence remained over the large room, until the host stepped forward and announced "This year's winner is...  Bishop Krakowski!"

The audience roared again, cheers and whistles, support and joy for Bishop, who just stood there, eyes wide and bewildered.  And when the crowd began to bark at him, pledging their allegiance in what they perceived was Bishop's 'language', Nikko could only laugh.

 

 

 

It snowed on the very first day of Nikko's winter vacation, providing a perfect excuse to stay inside.  They had done their Christmas shopping the week before, in pairs.  Nikko took Knight to the mall on Saturday, then went with Bishop on Sunday; the two students went together for Nikko's gifts on Monday, while he was at work.  Each wrapped their gifts on their own, and Nikko actually laughed out loud when he found a wrapped gift in the freezer – Knight had gotten Bishop steak.

They decorated the tree the second night of vacation.  The original plan was to do it that first night, but Nikko made the grave mistake of making hot chocolate for everyone.  Bishop had liked it, quite a bit, actually.  He gulped his mug down while Nikko directed Knight on how to set up the fake tree, and then he immediately began to vomit it up.  Knight was in tears as he carried Bishop to the bathroom, holding the jet-black hair out of Bishop's face while the dog heaved into the toilet.

Nikko felt awful.  He knew dogs and chocolate didn't mix – it was just so easy to forget that his students were animals.

Bishop lay in bed the rest of that night, and Knight didn't want him to be left out of the tree-decorating fun, so they waited, kicking off the holiday the following night instead.

Like the previous year, they celebrated on Christmas Eve, having a hearty dinner with plenty of meat, smiles, and warmth.  They had apple pie for dessert, along with coffee – a tradition born – and then Knight began to bounce, calling for presents.

They insisted on Nikko opening presents first, and Nikko couldn't stop smiling at how his students' tails wagged like crazy as they presented him with gifts.

From Bishop, he received a large coffee mug.  It was a matte black, and the box it was in proclaimed that a secret message would be revealed when hot liquid was poured in.  Nikko laughed as he looked at the box in his hands.  "This should _almost_ hold enough coffee to get me through the morning," he said.

"Inside the box too..." Bishop replied quietly.

"Oh?"  Nikko opened the box, finding the mug itself as well as a Starbucks gift card.  "Oh!"  He pulled the card out, held it up.  It didn't say how much it was for, but that didn't matter.  Bishop had really thought about him and what would make him happy, and that meant the world to Nikko.  "This is perfect."  His smile was unending.  "Thank you _so much_."

"One more..."  Bishop nodded to the mug again, his cheeks turning pink.

Nikko looked into the mug, noticing a small piece of paper he had missed before.  He took it out and unfolded it, seeing Bishop's neat and elegant handwriting.  It was a note promising two pets and one scratching of his ears.

And Nikko laughed.

There was no envelope from Knight this year – Nikko was almost disappointed – but he smiled graciously when he was handed a small, decorative box.  Knight's fingers clutched his tail as soon as his hands were free.

When the lid was removed, Nikko peered in to see a small, stuffed fox.  Orange fur, yellow eyes – it was the exact same as the one Knight had given him the previous year.  Nikko chuckled as he reached into the box, looking forward to the start of a collection, but then his mirth cut off to shocked silence.

Hanging around the plushie's neck was a silver necklace.

It was beautiful, the silver chain matching the one Knight wore perfectly, but the pendant was in a stylized shape of the sun.  It seemed to twinkle, catching the reflection of the lights on the tree, giving it an elegant sparkle.  Nikko could only stare at it, speechless, in awe of its beauty.

"It...  It's because Nikko is so warm, so you remind me of the sun."  Knight's voice was quiet and unsure; his hands wrung at his tail.  "I-  I hope it's okay.  If you don't want to wear it, I underst-"

"I want to wear it," Nikko said.  "I want to...  Can I?"

Knight perked up, relieved, excited.  His tail curled in his hands, until he let it go to remove the necklace from the toy.  Then he brought the chain to Nikko's neck, fastening it in back.  The light weight was comforting as it rested against Nikko's throat; it would be a constant reminder of Knight and the love he bestowed on Nikko.

"I love it," Nikko said, practically a whisper.  Then he leaned in and gave Knight a gentle kiss on the lips – quick and chaste, since Bishop was still sitting right there.

Bishop went next, with Knight bouncing to the freezer and back to retrieve his gift for the pup.  Bishop looked confused at the ice cold package, but he pawed at the wrapping paper, tearing at it gently until the frozen steak was revealed.  His eyes widened, his tail thumped, and he looked up at Knight with pure adoration.  The way to Bishop's heart was absolutely through his stomach.

"It's really high quality!" Knight chirped, smile persistent.  "It's from a place where they massage the cows every day, so the meat is tender and juicy."

"Thank you," Bishop said quietly.

Knight nodded happily, then handed Bishop a card.  "And there's more!"  He went on to explain even as Bishop opened and read the card over.  "It's part of a club... thing.  So twice a month another steak will be delivered to you!  Ah, only for six months, though."

Bishop looked like he was on the verge of drooling.  "I'm so happy..."

Somehow, Knight smiled even brighter.

Nikko brought his gifts out next, setting them in front of Bishop.  He didn't have that much confidence in his selections, hoping for adequate, at best.

The first one was a low-level biology book.  Possibly a bit selfish, but Nikko couldn't stop the overwhelming fear for Bishop's future.  If Bishop could become a nurse...  Well, maybe it was the only way to protect him.  "I thought it might be interesting for you," Nikko said, meek, once Bishop had the book unwrapped.

Bishop nodded, then smiled.  "Very interesting.  Thank you."  He flipped through a few pages, eyes taking in the charts and diagrams.  He would have the book studied thoroughly in no time, for sure, and Nikko felt a wisp of relief.

The second gift was a black, silk necktie.  Bishop was silent as he stared at it, running a finger along the smooth material.  Then, finally, he looked up, eyes glowing.  "I like it."

"I'm glad," Nikko smiled.  "You'll be the snazziest dog on the block."

Bishop tilted his head.

"Never mind."

Then it was Knight's turn.  Bishop had gotten him several bags of his loved chocolate-covered grasshoppers, and it amused Nikko that both students had gone with food for gifts.  It must have been an animal thing.  But Knight looked excited and grateful at the supply of treats, showing they were definitely appreciated.

Nikko knew about the candy; he did _not_ know about the second gift Bishop produced.  He handed a red envelope to Knight, from which came a handful of gift certificates.  Knight gasped a "Wha...?" as he began looking through them.

"I looked up good date spots..." Bishop began to explain quietly.  "They said the zoo was a good place, so...  You two should go..."

Nikko whispered a soft "Bishop..."

"And there are some certificates for restaurants too.  You can spend a whole day on a nice date."

"Thank you, Bishop," Knight said, his eyes wet.  "This means a lot to me."  His smile was full of affection.

Bishop looked away, shy.  "It's...  Of course..."

"Can we do this one together?"  Knight held up a gift certificate for an aquarium.  "I want to see it with Bishop."

A small squeak escaped from Bishop, and then he nodded.  Nikko couldn't have been more proud of his students.

Nikko's gifts to Knight were last.  He had even less confidence in his choices for Knight as he'd had in Bishop's gifts.  He had spent days in mental agony, trying to decide on what to get Knight, finding nothing special enough.  He felt like whatever it was, the gift needed to express how much Knight meant to him, how much he loved his beautiful fox.  But there was nothing in the world that could physically capture that depth of affection.

Until he remembered his own words – the gift didn't have to be something bought, as long as it came from the heart.

So Nikko sat at his desk for a long time after classes let out one day, and he wrote.  He had intended on writing a poem, but that wasn't exactly something he could do.  It turned into a letter instead, a lengthy outpouring of everything Knight meant to him and _thanking_ him for giving him a family again.  He said in writing everything he couldn't say in voice.  It was embarrassing, in retrospect, but still he folded it nicely in a gilded envelope and put it under the tree.

He also got Knight a cute, flower-speckled picture frame, choosing it over something more elegant to suit Knight's cheerful personality.  In it he put a picture of Knight, Bishop, and himself, taken at his birthday party.  They were all smiling – even Bishop's lips tilted up, just a little – and looked like the happy family that they were.

Knight opened the frame first.  His eyes lit up and he smiled brightly when he saw the photo, commenting "It's our picture!"

"Yeah," Nikko answered.  "Look how cute we are."

"I love it, Nikko!"  Knight was grinning from fox-ear to fox-ear.  "Now I can see us smile all the time!"

"I'm glad you like it."  Of course Knight was more interested in the picture itself than the frame – Nikko fully expected that.  To Knight, family was everything, so it was with a few more threads of confidence that Nikko handed over the envelope, saying "And... this too."

Knight took the envelope – a role-reversal from last year, when Nikko was the one receiving an envelope and a wad of papers – and slipped out the letter.  His eyes began to run over the handwritten words, and it was clear just how deeply he understood the heartfelt words when he began to brim with tears.  "Nikko..."

Immediately, Bishop turned a frown to Nikko, protective.  "He's crying."

"It's okay," Knight said with a sniffle and a laugh as he wiped his eyes on his sleeve.  "It's because I'm happy."

"Happy... crying?"

"Yes.  Because Nikko loves me so much."

A blush touched Nikko's cheeks, but he didn't get a chance to say anything before Knight pounced on him, wrapping him up in a tight embrace and a smile.  Nikko laughed, then whispered "It's true."

Then Knight moved back, eyes sparkling.  "Merry Christmas, Nikko!"

"Merry Christmas, Knight."  Nikko reached up to rub Knight's ear, smiling fondly at how Knight leaned into the touch.  Then he looked to Bishop and asked "Can I redeem my pets now?"

Bishop shook his head in the negative, and then looked away.  "Tonight, all pettings are free..."

Nikko laughed, then slowly lowered his free hand to Bishop's head, touching the fuzzy, black, folded ears.  He was in absolute heaven, an animal for each hand to pet, and he never wanted the moment to end.

It did end, though, when Nikko's phone began to ring.  He smiled even as he reluctantly pulled his hands away.  "Probably someone with a holiday greeting," he said, standing to fetch his phone.  His smile turned up in pleasant surprise at the name on the phone's display, and the cheer made it into his voice as he answered with "Hello?"

"They took him."


	36. Predator/Prey

 

 

 

She closed the lid of her laptop and sighed a stifled yawn.  Then she smiled.  It had been a nice night, celebrating a pleasant holiday with her bunny boys.  The silly rabbits, without each other knowing it, had both bought a golden ring for their gifts, so Noella had gotten to witness a double proposal.  It was sweet.

Perhaps if they had ended up with any other teacher, it wouldn't have been allowed.  The students were supposed to be learning how to be human, and humans didn't sleep with their brothers, didn't marry their brothers, didn't fall in love with their brothers.  If they were to be human, perhaps she should have insisted on a more appropriate relationship between them.

But they weren't human.  No matter how good they got at faking it, they never would be.  Even Ruka, who had learned sympathy and empathy, who felt more natural holding his ears back, who understood the rhythm and beat of music, was still a rabbit.  So what was the harm in allowing a little taboo?  As long as they were happy, she saw nothing wrong.  It wasn't like they would be having babies.

Noella went to check on her boys, who had gone to bed for a little extra 'celebrating' long before she had sat down to work on her presentations for the upcoming winter semester.  Their room was dim when she cracked open their bedroom door, but not completely dark – never completely dark.  Toto was afraid of the dark, so they kept a rabbit-shaped night-light on for him, bathing the room in a soft, yellow glow.

The boys both lay on their sides in their shared bed, facing each other, slightly curled.  Their arms were around each other, needing to be close, needing to protect, even in sleep.  Toto's lips curved into a smile; Ruka's were slack, at peace.  Each of their ears lay spread over their pillows.  They were so cute.

Noella smiled to herself once again as she softly eased the door shut.  She needed to get to bed herself, and began to head for the bathroom to wash her face when a knock came to the front door.

She had no idea who would visit this time of night, and on Christmas Eve no less.  It was with a raised brow and no small amount of caution that she went to investigate.  She left the chain-lock in place as she cracked the door open with a questioning "Hello?"

The chain was ripped right out of the frame as the door was roughly forced open, a line of large men pushing their way in.  They all had body armor and pricked ears – dobermans.  The company's security force stormed into her house, and they didn't pay a shred of attention to Noella as she began to yell "What are you doing!?  Get out!"

The dobermans' noses led them towards the back bedrooms.

"No!" Noella screamed as she grabbed one of the dogs.  He shook her off like she was a gnat.

An orange fox was left standing in the doorway, looking smug, and Noella rushed to him, grabbed him, yelled for him to stop this.  He was their coordinator; he was supposed to _help_ them; he was supposed to protect them.

"Don't do this, Kit!"

"Miss Hase, you know the rules.  When the students graduate, they are to be returned to us."

"He's not ready!"

"Yes, he is."  Kit's smile was malicious.  "His graduation has already been processed, without your approval, I'm afraid.  Ruka has a bright future ahead of him."

" _Don't_!"

The dogs returned then, one of them carrying a fighting Ruka.  Toto was behind them, reaching, screaming, crying, as one of the dobermans held him back.  "Ruka!"  Toto tried to lunge for his brother – his lover – arms stretched out.  The dog holding on to him was almost jerked off his feet.

"Toto!"  Ruka struggled, fear and anguish on his usually passive face.

" _Ruka_!"

Another dog helped to hold Toto back, the large rabbit fighting, going against his usual gentle nature.  Noella ran at them, tried to push the dogs back until she was grabbed and held herself.  She screamed, vocalizing her fury.  She felt like a mother, fighting helplessly as she watched one of her children be stolen away.  Her heart broke into a thousand pieces every time her struggle proved more and more useless.

"Toto!  _Toto_!"  Ruka stretched his arm, reaching his hand out, reaching for Toto.  Just a touch.  If they could at least touch...

"Ruka!"  Toto pressed against the canine wall, his own arm stretched out.

They didn't even come close.  Ruka's hand was still outstretched as he was dragged out the door, screaming.  The dogs poured out after him, emptying their house.  The last thing they saw of the storm was Kit's smirking face before the door slammed behind him.

Toto collapsed to the ground, crying loudly in anguish and loss, his heart and soul broken in his wrenching sobs.

" _Ruka_!!"

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

"As I said, there's nothing I can do, Mr. Krakowski.  Goodbye."

He said that, but even as he hung up his phone, he determined to try.  He was already on his way to Kit's office.

Their paths crossed in the hallway of the administration wing, Kit's usual smirk turning nasty when he saw Jack heading straight for him.  "Merry Christmas, Jack," he said, voice sarcastic.  While they had both taken coordinator positions out of self-preservation, their approaches to the job were very different.  Jack wanted to take care of his fellow animal hybrids, and made sure they all were fit with the best teacher for them, and generally tried to work with the teachers for the sake of the student.  Kit, on the other hand, stuck whomever with whomever, hardly doing any screening on potential teachers, and seemed to care little about what happened to them afterwards.  Jack's heart broke every time he had to process a sale; Kit seemed to relish it.

"Return the student you just stole," Jack demanded, not bothering with false pleasantries.

"Stole?"  Kit's small fangs peeked from behind his smile.  "Jack, we can't steal something that belongs to us."

"He is not a _thing_ , and his teacher has repeatedly said he isn't ready for graduation."

Kit's smile fell then.  "Even a fool could tell she's lying."  Then he perked right back up.  "Besides, I have a buyer for him."

"It's an _order_ , Kit.  I am the chief coordinator, and I am telling you to return him."

Kit's steps were slow and deliberate as he advanced, a predator stalking prey.  Jack had long ago quashed any instinct to run from larger animals – they were human now, they needed to act like it – but the malice in Kit's movements sent a shiver through him.  He refused to retreat, though, even when Kit leaned in to put his mouth next to Jack's ear and hissed "Make me."

"If we were in our old bodies," Jack said then, letting his professionalism drop.  "I would watch in glee when the dogs ripped you apart."

"If we were in our old bodies..."  Kit stepped past Jack, looking back only to say "I'd have eaten you a long time ago."  Then he laughed as he disappeared into his office.

In a huff, enraged, Jack blazed back to his own office.  There was only one other thing he could do, but he had to calm down first.  It wouldn't do to face the president while ready to snap.  So Jack took several deep breaths, looked around his office, let his mind clear by mentally running through everything he had to do.

He had to check on the status of the Roco investigation, though that was mostly just for show.  Honestly, he hoped the wolf and his teacher lived happily ever after.

He had to respond to Victoria Marquis's strongly-worded letter demanding they either return her 'donation' or her leopard, which reminded him that he should probably also check on the big cat itself.

He had to find a new teacher for the pink fox, but the list of potentials was getting short.  It had been a while since he had heard 'no' with such consistency.

Jack took a deep breath.  Calm.

And he had to deal with the dark shadow lurking in the corner of his office.

"Russell," he said simply, prompting the shadow to move, presence acknowledged.  Then long, strong arms wrapped around his waist; a heavy head rested on his shoulder.

"Jack..."  The doberman's body swayed slightly – he was wagging his tail.  "I missed you."

"You helped him."

Russell went still.  "I...  I had to. It's my job."

It was.  In the company's hierarchy, coordinators were above the security force.  If Kit ordered Russell to assist, the dog couldn't exactly refuse him.  Jack knew that, yet he still shrugged out of Russell's embrace.  "Leave me be."

"Jack-"

" _Russell_."  A tense silence snapped between them, and then Jack whispered "Go."

Without another word, Russell slinked away, and Jack was left alone.

He took another deep breath.  Check on the investigation, reply to the letter, find a new teacher.  Calm.

The first thing he had to do, though, was see Hunter Nguyen.

The hallway seemed impossibly long, yet Jack was standing in front of the large office all too soon.  With as often as he met with the company's president, he shouldn't have been as nervous as he was, but it was getting harder to keep up the façade of business-as-usual.  He was unhappy – angry – and the issue at hand only further convinced him that something had to be done.

If only he knew what.

Jack made sure his suit was straight, ran a hand over his slicked-back ears, then knocked lightly on the large, oak door.

"Enter," a voice commanded from the other side of the door, and Jack obeyed.

Hunter Nguyen sat behind his giant desk, black hair combed neatly, cravat crisp and white.  He was attractive, for a human, with a smile that could win over anyone.  A terrifying smile.

That smile turned on him.  "Good evening, Jack.  You're working awfully late."

"As are you, Sir."  Jack forced a smile of his own.  "Won't your family be sad not to see you on Christmas?"

"I'll buy them extra gifts to make up for it.  Women and children are so easy to give their forgiveness when diamonds are dangled in front of them.  Don't you think?"

"I wouldn't know, Sir."

Hunter's smile turned up.  "No, I suppose you wouldn't."  Then he sat back in his plush, leather chair, folded hands moving to his lap.  "What can I do for you, Jack?"

"I have an issue to bring up with you, Sir."

"What kind of issue?"

"It's about Kit.  He has overstepped his boundaries, Sir.  He graduated a student without authorization from either the teacher or myself, and completed a sale for the student, also without authorization."

Hunter crossed his legs casually, unconcerned.  "Is this about 022L-CTT02-B?"

"His name is Ruka, Sir."

"Kit had authorization for the graduation and sale of 022L-CTT02-B."

"Sir, I don't rec-"

"He had _my_ authorization."

Jack's teeth clenched, catching his lip.  Kit had gone over his head.  The teacher wouldn't agree to Ruka's graduation and Kit knew Jack wouldn't either.  Yes, he knew the teacher was lying about Ruka being ready, and he also knew why.  He agreed with her; it would have been in both of her students' best interest to stay together.  He had seen them together, and understood their feelings for each other.  And this...  What had happened...  No good would come from it.

"I know you wish to protect a fellow rabbit," Hunter said in the silence that had fallen.  "That's very commendable."

"I-  I want what is best for all of our students, Sir."

"Then you need to trust me."  That charming smile flashed again, and Jack shivered.  "My brother was smart enough to create you, and smart enough to leave the business part of this operation under my care.  We know what we're doing, and we are making _so_ much money."

The calm Jack had worked for was crumbling.  How dare this man compare himself to their creator?  They may have been brothers, but they were totally different.  Micaela was kind and gentle, the best teacher Jack could have ever asked for, long before they started going to the public for teachers.

All Jack said, though, was "With all due respect, Sir, Ruka should not have been in the catalogue yet."

"A very rich and very powerful associate of mine wanted a new toy," Hunter replied.  His words had been chosen on purpose – a "toy."  That's all the animals were to people like them, and that's all Jack himself would be if Hunter wished it.

Jack's jaw stayed shut.  There was nothing he could do.

"Jack," Hunter said next, voice turned to dark silk.  "Show me your ears."

"Sir?"

"Your ears, I want to see them.  Your tail too.  Undress for me, Jack.  I want to pet my favorite bunny."

His heart froze, and then slowly Jack lifted his hands to begin working at the buttons of his jacket.  He didn't have a choice.  His body belonged to the company.


	37. The Sorrow of Those Left Behind

 

 

 

He saw Noella waiting on the porch of her condo even from the bus, face hidden in folded arms.  She hadn't moved an inch in the time it took them to walk from the bus stop to her place, even though it was freezing out.

Knight had been the one to call Jack on Christmas Eve, in tears, asking why they took Ruka away.  Jack hadn't known anything about it and Knight begged him to bring Ruka back, until his crying prevented him from speaking any longer and Nikko took over, looking for answers.  All Jack would say, however, was that Ruka wasn't under his care, so there was nothing he could do about the situation.

That was days ago.  Nikko hadn't heard from Noella again, so he called to check on her, despite his fear of phones.  She had been despondent at first, no trace of the cool and confident woman she normally was.  Eventually, though, Nikko got her to talk.

Toto hadn't eaten in days, she told him.  He rarely left his bed, spent days crying with his face pressed to Ruka's pillow.  "I'm afraid of what will happen when his scent fades for good," she admitted in a whisper.

Then, quietly, she asked Nikko if he would come over to her place.  It might help Toto to see friends.  He liked Knight, and having another animal around might cheer him up a bit, or at least get him to eat.

Nikko worried about Noella herself.  He had never seen her without her stylish makeup before, until she finally lifted her head as they began to ascend the steps of her porch.  She looked like a different person without her perfect winged eyeliner and bright red lips.  But Nikko forced a smile all the same, greeting with a "Hey."

The smile wasn't returned, but she managed a "Thanks for coming."

He wasn't good at comforting people.  He didn't know what to do or say.  People usually touched each other at these times, right?  A pat on the back; a rub of the arm.  He didn't think she would appreciate comfort petting like Knight did.  Nikko never knew what to do with humans, so he just asked "How is he?"

Noella shrugged and looked away; her head shook.  "He still won't eat.  He wouldn't even talk to me when I checked on him earlier.  I think he's sleeping now."  A tear dropped and she wiped it away.  "I just...  I can't believe they would do this."

"I-  I'm sorry..."  He didn't know what else to say.

"Let's go inside," Noella said next.  "I think he'll be happy to see you guys."

Nikko nodded and started to follow, but once the front door was open, he heard all movement, footsteps, breathing, stop.  He turned to find Knight's eyes had gone wide.  The fox looked terrified, body shaking as he took a step back.  Behind him, Bishop stood completely still, ears perked forward, nose barely moving in small sniffs.  They both looked as if they were about to bolt.

"Are you guys okay?" Nikko asked.

Knight's head shook back and forth slowly.  "I...  I don't want to go inside."

"What's wrong?"

"Nikko!  Nikko, please!  I don't want to go inside!  I don't!"

"Okay."  Nikko put a hand to Knight's cheek for a moment to calm him down, then ran it down, squeezing Knight's shoulder.  Whatever it was, it had Knight in a panic.  "You can stay out here, okay?  Bishop too."  He looked up to Bishop, who gave a shaky nod.  "You two stay here for as long as you want, and if you want to come in, you can.  Okay?"

Both students nodded, and Knight moved to grip Bishop's coat, whimpering "Nikko..."

"Stay on the porch, okay?  Don't leave."

After receiving confirming nods, Nikko turned back to Noella.  A sense of dread rose within him as he followed her into the condo, worried for his students and their strange reaction.

"Ruka was always so quiet," Noella said as they made their way to the bedrooms.  "But somehow, the place has seemed a thousand times more silent without him."

"I'm... sorry."  Nikko still didn't know what to say or do for her.

Noella stopped by her students' closed bedroom door, looking up to briefly meet Nikko's gaze.  "I honestly don't even feel like living here anymore."  Nikko remained silent, words failing him completely, and after a moment of quietly watching each other, Noella turned and knocked on the door, calling softly.  "Toto?"  No answer came, though, and after a pause Noella opened the door.

Toto lay on the bed on his side, eyes closed, body still.  The room was eerily silent, and Noella's footsteps seemed to echo as she made her way over to the bed.  "Toto?" Noella said again.  She put a hand on his shoulder and gave a shake to wake him up.  "Toto?"

The world paused for a beat.  Silent.

Then-

"Toto!  _Toto_!"  Noella dropped to her knees, shaking the large rabbit, crying.  "God, no!  _Toto_!"

Nikko's eyes went wide, watching as Noella desperately tried to wake her unresponsive student.  It was useless; no amount of shaking, yelling, crying brought any kind of movement from Toto.  He remained still, his eyes stayed closed, and finally Nikko crossed the room himself.  Putting a hand to Toto's cheek, Nikko felt flesh as cold as stone, unyielding and stiff, and it hit him with all the pain and sorrow the world had to offer.

Toto had died of a broken heart.

 

 

 

 

Nikko had to be the one to pull Noella away from Toto's lifeless body, guiding her to the living room and sitting her on a couch.  He then went back to Toto's room, taking one last look at the large rabbit before covering him with a sheet.  He had never been super close with either of the rabbits, but he liked them quite a bit.  He remembered the first time he ever saw them – at his first picnic a year-and-a-half ago – and how Ruka had been hiding out under one of Toto's large ears.  He remembered how they had stood up for Knight at the Halloween party, how grateful Nikko had been to them.

A pang of sorrow poured over Nikko.  He would miss them both very much.

Nikko also had to be the one to call the facility.  He didn't know who Noella's coordinator was, so he called Jack.  Jack would know what to do.

Jack sounded grim when Nikko explained what happened.  His voice was tense as he said that someone would be there soon to retrieve Toto's body.  It was only when Jack _thanked_ him that Nikko finally felt like he was going to cry.

He had never had to do all this before.  He didn't know how to help someone through the death of a family member.  He wasn't strong enough for this.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, though, and wiped his eyes on his sleeve.  Maybe he wasn't strong enough, but there wasn't anyone else around.  So he went back to Noella, sat by her on the couch.  "Someone from the facility is coming," he said softly, making sure she knew what was going on.

Noella was leaning forward on the couch, elbows resting on her knees, hands buried into the long, blond hair of her bowed head.  "He couldn't..."  She sniffled loudly, breathed out a sob.  "He couldn't stand to live without Ruka."

"They... really loved each other, huh?"

Noella's voice was strained, speaking through her crying.  "They proposed to each other on Christmas, and it was _so_... _sweet_."  Then she broke down, sobbing loudly.  She cried into her hands, and Nikko was at a complete loss.

"I'm sorry..."  It was all he could say.  He couldn’t even claim they were in a better place – how could they be?  They were still separated – and he doubted there were any words that could ease her pain.  She had every right to be inconsolable.

Sometime later, when her crying quelled in volume at least, sobs turning to heavy, shuddering breaths, Nikko dared put a hand on Noella's back.  "I-  I need to go check on my guys, okay?  Will you be okay?"  When she nodded without looking up, he finished with "I'll be right back."

He went out the front door, cold winter air hitting him in the face, making him feel like he was stepping out of a nightmare.  Knight and Bishop sat huddled together, clinging to each other in a corner of the porch, and seeing them finally broke the dam that had been keeping Nikko calm.  He fell to his knees in front of them, wrapped his arms around the both of them, and cried.

He cried for Ruka and Toto, he cried for Noella, but more than anything, he cried in fear.  It was easy – far too easy – to have the students taken away, and even as teachers, they were helpless.  He couldn't imagine the anguish he would feel if he lost Knight or Bishop.  He was sure he wouldn't be able to handle it; even the very thought had him breaking down all over again.

"Nikko?"  Knight's hands were on him, grabbing his coat, reminding Nikko that he had to be strong for his students' sake.  "Nikko, where's Toto?"

"He's..."  Nikko swallowed his tears.  "He's gone."

"Gone...?"

"He died."

The fear in Knight's eyes was replaced with sorrow, spilled over with wet grief.  "But...  But Toto was so nice!"

"I know," Nikko said as he pulled Knight's head against his chest, letting the fox cry on him.

"Nikko!  I want to see Toto!"

"You..."  He choked.  "You can't..."


	38. Human-Animal Relations

 

 

 

His winter holiday wasn't much of a holiday.  New Year's came and went with hardly a notice; Nikko spent most of the days after Toto's death comforting Knight and checking in on Noella.  Usually Nikko liked New Year's.  It was his favorite holiday, full of fresh promise and hope, but that year it kicked off grim, a loss from the get-go.  He prayed it wasn't an indication of how the whole year would be.

The truth was, Nikko was having a hard time handling it himself.  He had nightmares each night, heartbreaking images of the facility breaking into their home and taking Knight from him.  In the worst of the wretched dreams that plagued him, Nikko was forced to sit and watch a pack of dobermans attack Knight, ripping him apart with their teeth until there was nothing left.

He hated it.  He hated what the company had every right to do, and how willing they were to do it.

Wendy had been right all along.  The only way to truly protect the students was to take them and leave – to disappear and never, ever, _ever_ be found.  It was kidnapping – or stealing, since the company seemed to consider the students as objects – but it was the only way to be free of the company's hold.

Nikko began to wonder if he could do it.  As he sat on the couch, Knight's head in his lap, he began to think it through.  It was a habit of his, fixating so hard on how he would do something that he never had any real intention of doing that he ended up with a real, solid plan.

He would take Knight and Bishop both.  They all three could work and hoard money beforehand; Nikko could take some vacation time from work, then just never go back.  They could walk, hitchhike, take trains and buses clear across the county, to Nikko's family home.  He had told the company – told Jack during his initial interview – that he didn't have any family; they wouldn't know where to start even if they thought about looking his history up.

His family would give him a car.  No matter the animosity between them, they would help him.  He was confident of that, at least.  With that, he and his students could drive north across the border, perhaps across several.  They would go somewhere far away, where his beloved fox, his adored dog could never be taken from him.  And then they could start a new life.

But...  No.  That would never work.  Even saving every bit of money they could, they would never have enough to get across the country.  And by the time his family finished lecturing him like a child, the hounds would be nipping at their heels.  And start a new life?  How?  Nikko didn't know the first thing about creating a new identity or forging immigration documents.  He didn't even speak any other country's language; how was he going to get work?

He wouldn't last a week on the run.

As he looked down at Knight's face, he saw Bishop's head suddenly shoot up, pulling away from the book he had been reading.  The dog's nose sniffed the air, searching, and then he suddenly stood and grabbed Knight's hand.  "Come."

"Bishop?"  Knight looked at the dog curiously as he sat up.

"Are you alright?" Nikko asked.

Bishop's only response was to tug at Knight's hand.  "Come here."

"Okay..." Knight said, getting up and allowing Bishop to pull him away, towards the bedrooms.

Nikko sat for a moment, only blinking, dumbfounded by the strange behavior.  Just as he stood to go see what was up, however, a knock came to the door.

It was Jack.

Startled by the rabbit's sudden visit, it took Nikko a moment before he could get out a greeting, finally saying "Oh, hello."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Krakowski," Jack returned.  "I apologize for the intrusion, but may I have a moment of your time?"

"Sure, come on in."  Nikko stepped back to allow Jack entrance, and right on the rabbit's heel was another animal.

It was a fox – that much was clear from the sharp ears and fluffy tail that weren't at all being hidden from the world.  Nikko thought it was a girl at first, what with the long, pink hair tied up into a ponytail, a single streak of deep red running through soft, pink bangs.  But the chest was flat and face boyish – he was male.  His eyes were red and the tips of his ears and tail were black.  His lips seemed to curl up naturally.  He wore the customary coveralls, but there was a backpack on his back, looking like he was ready for a sleepover.

After the two visitors passed down the hallway, Nikko stuck his head out the door, somewhat surprised that there was no sign of Jack's doberman friend.  Then he closed the door and followed down the hallway, inviting "Please, have a seat," as he gestured to the couch.

"Thank you," Jack replied as he sat, the pink fox taking a seat beside him.  Then he continued, saying "What I'm here for today involves your students as well.  Are they around?"

Nikko's heart thudded.  His nightmares were going to come true; Knight and Bishop were going to be taken from him.  Could he fight these two off and run?  Could he and his students sneak out a window and take off?  How far could they get before Jack realized they were no longer in the apartment?

"Yeah," Nikko answered.  "They're in their room.  Should I get them?"

"If you could, please."

With a nod and a "Hold on," Nikko headed to what was essentially just Bishop's room.  The door was closed and Nikko knocked, then a moment later opened it.

Knight lay on his unused bed, the covers pushed around.  His hair was mussed as if he had been rubbing his head on the pillow, though he managed to look up perfectly naturally from the book he held.  And Nikko understood, then, exactly what had happened.  Bishop must have smelled Jack coming and realized how suspicious it would have looked for Knight's half of their room to be so totally un-lived in.  He had pulled Knight away to set a stage of normal use in case Jack did some kind of inspection.

Despite his own feelings for Knight, Bishop was so protective of Knight and Nikko's relationship.  Nikko was beyond grateful, and vowed to treat Bishop to an evening of all-you-can-eat ribs next paycheck.

"Jack's here," Nikko said.  "He wants to talk to us."

Knight sat up, a question in his eyes.  "Jack does?  About what?"

"I don't know."

The trio returned to the living room, where Jack was talking quietly with the pink fox.  Knight and Nikko each grabbed chairs from the kitchen to sit in, Bishop opted for the floor, and when they were all gathered, Jack gave them his professional smile.

"The first thing I'd like to say is... I'm sorry."  Jack's words took Nikko by surprise.  "Many things have happened lately," Jack continued, expression falling to one of sympathy and sadness.  "You seem to be getting caught up in one thing after another, and I've felt like I've been lacking in my duty to protect our students and teachers.  I hope you can forgive me."  Then he gave a small bow towards Nikko.

"N-No," Nikko said, feeling sorry for the rabbit.  He saw for the first time just how _tired_ Jack looked – dark circles under his eyes, lines that could almost be wrinkles etched across his forehead – and Nikko wondered if the coordinators were ever allowed to take vacations.  Jack looked like he sure could use one.  "You've always helped me a lot.  I'm grateful to you.  Knight and Bishop are as well, right?"

"Yes!" Knight replied, though Bishop only nodded.

Jack's smile flashed for a moment, then disappeared again.  "The truth is, there have been some things happening within the company itself, and even I have been increasingly unsatisfied with what's going on."

Something in Jack's words put Nikko on edge, making him uncomfortable, making his anxiety flicker.  "What...  What kind of things?" he dared to ask.

"I'm... not at liberty to say," Jack replied.  "Just...  The aims of the company have changed."

A moment of silence fell, as Nikko had no idea how to respond.  He was shocked that Jack had revealed even that much, and wondered if the rabbit could get in trouble for saying anything.  He wondered if Jack had a purpose for telling him, or was he just getting things off his chest?

"The next thing I wish to address," Jack continued before the silence got uncomfortable.  Then he gestured to the fox beside him.  "Is this."

'This' had been silently looking around the apartment with a critical eye and a hint of a sneer on his lip, though when he looked back down to Nikko, his face was pure innocence.

"He was recently moved to our facility from another district, and we are desperately looking for a teacher for him."

Nikko looked to the fox again, confused.  The coordinators didn't normally go soliciting for teachers, instead waiting for volunteers to go to them.  "Is he... a special case?"

"Yes," Jack answered.  "He had a teacher before and was living with a family, but they returned him.  We want to find a new teacher for him quickly so he doesn't have a lapse in his studies."

The pink fox's brows tilted up, lips pulling down into a pout, looking pitiful.  Being returned must have been awful – embarrassing at best, if not downright terrifying.  Nikko was curious, wanting to know more about the guy's situation.  Knowing there was an animal in need tugged at him, but...

"I'm...  I'm sorry," Nikko said.  "If you're here to see if I'll take him, I...  I can't.  There just isn't enough room here..."  Technically not true – they already had a bed that wasn't being used.  "And I really can't afford another student."  That one was true, but still only a small part of his refusal.

As much as Nikko wanted to help, the biggest issue was his relationship with Knight.  He couldn't agree to taking in another student without knowing if the pink fox would reveal them or not, and there was no way to find out if he would or not without giving themselves away.  They couldn’t exactly hide their relationship if he came to live with them.  There was no way.

"I'm really sorry," Nikko said again.  "But I think you would be better off asking someone more financially secure."

"We have," Jack replied.  "We've asked quite a few other teachers, but all have turned us down for one reason or another."

"Nobody wants a used student who's already been returned once."  The fox spoke quietly, looking away.  His curved lips pulled into a frown, trembling.

It tugged at Nikko's heart.  The poor thing reminded him of Knight, rejected and unwanted.  But it was absolutely impossible.

"There is a way we can help," Jack said then, business mode switched on.  "At the start of this program, when there were fewer teachers to go around, we offered financial assistance.  An allowance, if you will.  Enough to cover all the living expenses for the students, plus a little extra.  The company's budget still sets aside money for this allowance, but years ago we coordinators were instructed to stop offering it outright, and the teachers don't know it exists, so don't know to inquire about it.  I can get you on the allowance program, if you agree to help out."

Nikko went still, thinking.  They were willing to pay him to do this, and he could really use the money...

"I can get you on the allowance program for _all_ your students."

Somewhere in his mind, Nikko heard the 'cha-ching!' of a cash register.

"With back payments for Knight and Bishop, it would be enough to move into a larger place.  Probably even a house."

It was tempting.  _So_ tempting.  He could help a student, have an additional source of income, provide a bigger, nicer home for his little family...

But it didn't change that it would be _dangerous_ to bring in someone new.  His relationship with Knight was far too precious to risk.  They had gotten lucky with Bishop – he couldn't count on getting lucky again.

"I'm...  I'm sorry..." Nikko said quietly.

"One week."

"Hm?"

"Let him stay here for one week," Jack implored.  "As a trial.  Get to know him, see how he fits in.  He's very active and charming; I'm sure you'll all enjoy his company and become good friends.  If after a week you still don't want to take him, we won't bother you again."

"It's... impossi-"

"Give us one week and I'll get you on the allowance program for Knight and Bishop whether you accept the new student or not."

He sounded so desperate, and the student himself continued to look away.  Scared to be hopeful – he was so much like Knight.

And it was Knight who spoke up, saying "Let's do it."

All eyes turned to him, though it was Nikko who gave a questioning "Knight?"

"Maybe..."  Then Knight smiled brilliantly.  "I can be a big brother again."

The pink fox looked stricken, like an arrow just pierced his heart.  But then his red eyes turned to Nikko, then looked away again.  It was hard to guess what was going through his mind, but it looked as though, if nothing else, he could at least get along with Knight for a week.

Slowly, hesitantly, Nikko nodded.  "Okay," he said.  "One week."

Instantly, Jack was on his feet.  "Thank you for your assistance, Mr. Krakowski.  You won't regret it.  I assure you he will fit right in with the others; by the end of the week you'll be all ready for a new contract."  He quickly headed for the door, as if fleeing – as if trying to get out before Nikko could change his mind.  "I'll prepare the paperwork for the allowance program.  We can go over everything thoroughly next week."  Then he disappeared down the entry hallway, calling out another "Thank you," before the door opened and shut.

For the second time that day, Nikko was struck dumbfounded, blinking confused at where Jack had left.  He hadn't even had time to get out of his chair before the rabbit escaped.  "That was... odd."

"They were going to use me for training the security force if a teacher couldn't be found," the pink fox said, still looking away, staring out the glass balcony door.  Then a sneer lifted his lip again, and he practically whispered "Probably still will."

Nikko's heart sank.  Training the security force...  It probably meant letting the fox be hunted, chased, torn apart.  He felt so bad for the guy; he wished there were something he could do.  For the moment, however, he forced a smile.  "Well, welcome.  I'm Nikko.  Do you have a name?"

The fox continued to glare out the window a moment, and then suddenly he stood up, sliding his backpack off and dropping it on the couch.  "This place is a dump," he said, ignoring Nikko's question.  "I'm starving.  Got any food?  I want to eat cake.  Oh, and macaroons."  He went to the refrigerator, opening the door and sticking his head inside.

Nikko and Knight looked at each other, and then Nikko stood, heading towards the kitchen.  "There's stuff for sandwiches if you're hungry, but if you're in the mood for sweets, I'm afraid all we have right now are some cookies."

The fox ignored him, pushing around some stuff in the fridge.

"Or there's cereal," Nikko tried again.  "We already had lunch, since your arrival was unexpected.  I apologize.  Dinner will be in a few hours.  Knight usually does the cooking, so if you have any requests, you can ask him."

"Nothing," the fox complained as he slammed the refrigerator door shut.  "Figures.  Couldn't they have pushed me onto someone with money?"  He started to go back towards the living room, but was blocked by Knight, who looked down at him, stern, a mama fox ready to lecture.

"You're being rude to Nikko," Knight said, using his height to stand over the other fox.  "Nikko was nice to let you stay here, so you should be nice back."

"He's only doing it for the money."  The reply came on a snarl.  "That's all humans care about."

"You're wrong."  Knight stood his ground.  "If Nikko wants money, it's only so that he can provide for me and Bishop.  Nikko loves us."

"Yeah, right."  Then the pink fox moved to step past Knight, knocking him with his shoulder as he went.  He paused to say "Humans don't care about animals," and then disappeared down the hallway.  The sound of a bedroom door slamming shut echoed through the apartment.

Silence prevailed for a moment, and then Knight pouted.  "I'm sorry, Nikko."

"Don't be," Nikko replied with a shake of his head.  "You didn't do anything."

"I said we should do it because we really do need the money.  I know we'll have to pretend we're only teacher and student, but I thought if it's only for a week, we could do it.  But I didn't know he would be so...  So mean."

"It's okay," Nikko said.  He stepped forward, reaching up to tug at a lock of Knight's hair.  "He's probably just hurt and scared after being returned."  Though he hated that they were going to have to reject the pink fox at the end of the week as well.

"What should we do?"

Nikko sighed.  "Give him space for now, I guess.  He'll come back out when he wants to eat."

He didn't, though.  Dinner came and went, filling the apartment with the scent of hamburger slop and the sound of conversation.  Nikko wanted to keep the atmosphere pleasant – easy to do with the talkative Knight – so that the new fox would feel welcome to join them if he chose.

But he never did.

Long after the dishes were washed and put away, Nikko grew increasingly worried about the fox.  So he took up the discarded backpack and, along with Knight, went to where the new guy had sequestered himself in Bishop's bedroom.

Nikko knocked on the door, but when he tried the handle, he found it locked.

"Yes?" a voice called from the other side, lilting up.

"Can I come in?" Nikko asked.

"If you're a selfish, rotten _human_ , then no."

Knight and Nikko looked at each other, and then Knight called "What if I'm a fox?"

A silent moment passed, and then the new fox answered "You can come in."  It was punctuated by the click of the lock being released.

Nikko handed the backpack to Knight, quietly saying "Make sure he's alright.  If he wants to eat in there tonight, he can, but he can't stay in there the whole week.  You and Bishop need to sleep in there."

"Where will he sleep?"

"He can sleep in my room; I'll sleep on the couch."

"Okay," Knight said.  "Then, here I go!"

"Go get 'em."

"I can do it!"

Nikko smiled at his silly fox as Knight slipped into the room.  Then he stopped by his own room to change into his pajamas and dig out a couple extra blankets to fashion a makeshift bed on the couch with.

Before heading back to the living room, he retrieved a certain, special piece of paper.

The blankets were deposited onto the couch without much ceremony.  Nikko would make a nest out of them later, but at the moment he sat on the floor.  Bishop looked up at him as Nikko slid the paper onto his book.

Bishop looked down at the paper – the promissory note he had written himself – then back up at Nikko.

"I could really use some ear-pettings right now," Nikko said with a smile.

Bishop nodded, hesitated, and then lowered his head.

Nikko had been given two pets, so that's all he would take, but he would make them last.  His hands buried deep into the silken mass of Bishop's hair, running slowly through the pitch black fall, liquid night.  When he reached a folded ear, he took it between his fingers, rubbing gently.  It was so soft, like holding a tiny angel's wing.  He was reluctant to pull away, but eventually his hand moved on, continuing its journey through the black hair.  Then the whole process was repeated again, followed by a scratching of Bishop's scalp, just behind the ears.

Then Nikko drew away, leaning back to see Bishop had his eyes closed, looking at peace or – dare he hope? – as if he had actually enjoyed it.  At the very least, Nikko hoped the threatened feeling Bishop had at being touched was subdued.

Bishop looked up and Nikko smiled, saying "Thank you."

Violet eyes turning away with a nod, Bishop softly replied "It... felt nice."

It was then that Knight returned to the living room, a pout on his lip and tears in his eyes.  He whimpered out a "Nikko..."

"How did it go?" Nikko asked.

"Nikko..."  Knight sniffled.  "He really, really hates humans."


	39. Long Live the Queen

 

 

 

Nikko had to put his foot down the first full day the pink fox stayed with them.  Though there was no way Nikko would be able to keep him at the end of the week, he _had_ agreed to foster him for the short time, and he wanted to do it right.  He had faith, repeated to himself until he believed it, that Jack wouldn't let the guy become a training dummy.  Nikko would do what he could for the eventual teacher they _would_ find, and for the fox himself.

It meant a little tough love, but Nikko decided to forbid letting the still unnamed fox eat in the bedroom.  If it took a bit of starvation to bring him out, then so be it.

He fought valiantly, shouting out how hungry he was through the door, but Nikko only responded that if he wanted to eat, he would have to come out – that they would not serve him in his chambers like royalty.

Hours after dinner, he relented.  The door to Nikko's bedroom clicked open softly, and a moment later the fox appeared.  He bee-lined for the fridge, rummaged around a bit, then pulled out a container of leftovers and let the door shut.  Without saying a word to anyone, he popped the container in the microwave and pressed some buttons.  He must have had a level of independence with the family he was with before to know how to forge for himself and use a microwave – either that or he was left alone a lot.

When the microwave chimed, the fox took his food and immediately headed towards the bedroom again, prompting Nikko to call out "At the table."

He was completely ignored.

Knight sprang from the couch and blocked his retreat.  "You have to eat at the table," he said as he spread his arms, preventing the other fox from slipping around him.  "Nikko said so."

The pink fox frowned, but ultimately listened.  He went back to the dining table, sitting in a chair with his back to the living room.  Knight pouted after him, looking like a kid who had just been told by an old buddy that they were no longer friends.

It was silent a bit, and then suddenly Bishop said "I'd like some tea."

Nikko smiled, catching on.  "That's a good idea.  Knight, would you like some tea?"

Knight looked back at them.  "Yeah, I guess so."  He hadn't caught on at all.  "I'll make some."

Nikko stood.  "Bishop, could you get a folding chair out of the coat closet?"  At Bishop's nod, Nikko smiled his thanks, and then he made his way over to the dining table, sitting in the chair across from the fox.  Red eyes glanced at him for barely a second, then turned away in a scowl.  "I'm sorry," Nikko said.  "I still haven't gotten your name.  What do you like to be called?"

Zero response.

Bishop came back with a folding chair that had been left behind from Nikko's birthday party.  He set it up next to Nikko, then sat, leaving the last chair open for Knight.  It was silent a moment, the only sounds being from the pink fox's eating and Knight moving around in the kitchen.  And then Bishop – quiet, reserved Bishop – said softly "My name is Bishop.  What's your name?"

"I don't have a name," the fox answered.

"What did your previous teachers call you?" Nikko asked.

Ignored.

Knight approached, setting four teacups down on the table.  "I think it's weird that the people you were with before didn't give you a name."

"They did," the fox said.  His gaze turned down, moving from a scowl to something more melancholy as he paused in his meal.  "But it was a stupid name and I hated it.  They were just making fun of me because my coloring came out weird.  When I asked if they would call me something else, they just laughed and called me that even more."

A quiet beat, and then Nikko replied "We'll call you whatever you'd like."

"Why don't _you_ give me a name?"  The fox looked up at Nikko with a sharp glare – at least he had finally acknowledged him.  "Isn't that what humans do?  They give animals stupid names for their own amusement."

Knight had gone and come back again with a full teapot, filling each of the cups as he spoke.  "Our names were suggested to us, but Bishop and I were both allowed to say yes or no to it."  He chuckled then, sitting down behind his own cup and reaching for the sugar bowl.  "When Nikko came up with my name, I was naked in a dressing room!"

Nikko smiled at the memory.  "You weren't naked."

"I almost was!"  Then he laughed, showing his bright smile.

The pink fox stared at Knight for a moment, then propped his chin up in a hand.  A tiny smile touched his up-curving lips at last.  "You're awfully cute, you know."

Knight's eyes widened.  "Me?"

"Yeah," the fox answered.  His smile turned up and his eyes narrowed, looking flirty.  "Do you have a mate?"

"I..."  Knight's face went from surprise to concern to a soft, quiet smile.  "Yes, I do."

The fox gave a drawn-out hum as his eyes moved to Nikko, then continued on to Bishop.  "How about you?  Have a mate?"  His lashes fluttered.  "Want one?"

Bishop's back went straight, looking like he wanted to bolt.  "Please don't touch me."

It reminded Nikko – that little point that should be mentioned now that they had the fox out and talking.  "Ah, there are a few rules here," he said.  "The first of which is, you can't touch Bishop unless he says it's okay."

The fox's eyes snapped back to Nikko, glare fixed in place.  The atmosphere crackled, tense, and then he said "It must be nice to have slaves to do your bidding."

"I-"  Nikko was struck silent by the whiplash change in the fox's demeanor.  "I'm sorry?"

"You have your own little servants to cook for you and serve you tea.  That's nice."

Nikko was silent a moment, and then he simply said "Your tea was served to you as well."

The pink fox's jaw snapped shut; there was nothing he could say to that tidbit of truth.

"We're not slaves," Knight said, and then he smiled.  "We're a family.  We help each other.  Nikko works really hard at his job.  Sometimes he works twelve or thirteen hours a day, or more!  And then he comes home and helps us with our studies.  He buys us toys and games and plays with us.  Nikko takes care of us!  So, I feel that the least I can do for him is cook and help out around the apartment.  I _want_ to do these things."

Beside him, Bishop nodded, quietly adding "That's what it means to be family."

The pink fox looked away, eyes fixing on some unseen spot in a corner.  And he muttered "Humans and animals can't be family."

 

 

 

 

On the second day, the fox came out on his own to join them for breakfast.  It was Sunday, the last day of winter vacation, and they celebrated the end of the holiday season with pancakes.  There were no snippy comments about the state of human-animal relations – Nikko was by and large ignored by their guest, but he was fine with sitting back and letting Knight chatter away at a fellow fox.  It was interesting getting to know him, though they steered clear of the topic of his previous home, for now.

"What do you like to do?" Knight asked, friendly as ever.

"I like to sleep," the fox replied.  There was a playful lilt to his voice, a tiny hint of a different personality underneath all the hurt.

"That's not a hobby!" Knight laughed.

"It's the best hobby.  Especially if you have someone big and strong to curl up with."  He paused, then added "Or small and cuddly."  Then he giggled.  "Both are okay."

"Do you play video games?  Bishop is really good at them.  He's even the champion of the local tournament!"

"I've never played video games before," the fox answered.

"Never!?"

"Nope."

"Then, we should definitely play."

They learned many things about the fox throughout the day; Knight's unlimited curiosity meshed well with the fox's love of talking about himself.  They learned he was a half red fox, half swift fox mix, and was an experiment in creating new colors.  Knight and Nikko shared a glance when they heard that, both understanding that it meant the company was trying to expand its selection of 'products'.  Pink wasn't a color that would be useful in a military setting, and it was with a painful tug at his heartstrings that Nikko guessed the fox was most likely bred to be used for sex.  His lithe body was probably a part of that too.

They learned he liked pink and red, adored fashion and frills.  He put on a show for them, using the hall as a runway as he showed off the outfits and accessories he had been allowed to bring.  Not much had fit in his backpack – only enough for a week – but he was good at mixing and matching, and put together quite a few outfits, each looking totally different from the next despite being made from the same handful of pieces.  His style was quite varied, from cute to punk to casual, and he seemed to be able to pull off anything.

And when he agreed to accompany them for their nightly walk, they learned he could run _exceedingly_ fast.

Nikko should have known something was up when the fox turned to Knight with a coy smile, asking if he wanted to race as they made a lap around their favorite, silent park.  Knight was so much taller, his legs so much longer, anyone would have bet their money on him to win.  But the pink fox seemed unconcerned by the disadvantage he had.  They agreed on a course and got lined up.

"I'll call your start," Nikko offered with a smile.

The pink fox immediately looked to Bishop.  "Could you call our start for us?"

Bishop's eyes widened even as Nikko sighed.  "Just say 'ready, set, _go_ '," Nikko instructed.

Bishop nodded, then turned to the other animals and repeated "Ready, set, go" with zero inflection, lacking the delay that usually came between the latter two words.  It was so unexpectedly monotone that neither Knight nor the pink fox moved for a second, until they realized the start had been called and they both took off running.

It was amazing how fast the fox could run.  Long hair and tail waving like pink streamers in his wake, he easily pulled ahead of Knight, legs practically a blur.  His stride wasn't even particularly long, but every time his feet touched the ground he was propelled further ahead.

Instead of rounding about the monkey bars, the pink fox jumped and flipped himself up top, walking himself from bar to bar on his hands.  Then he flipped back down to his feet, and Nikko would have bet anything the fox was skilled in parkour.

When he crossed the finish line, the fox gave a tiny fist pump, saying "Yay."  Nikko smiled and clapped, but the fox only turned away from him.

Knight ran up just a few seconds later, no slowpoke himself, and laughed.  "Wow, you're really fast!"

"I know, right?  I bet-"  He stopped, silent, then turned around, putting his back to them.  "I bet I could run far away from humans, and they'd never catch me."

 

 

 

 

Day three, Nikko was back to work.  It was a fun day, with many of his fifth-graders excited to show off the presents they had gotten for Christmas – Davie got a new car model kit; Katie got a telescope; Benjamin got a new dress for his doll – but Nikko spent much of the time worrying about the situation at home.  Not that he thought Knight couldn't handle the extra person around without Nikko's supervision, but he worried about the pink fox actually running away.  He wondered where the fox would go if he ran.  Where would he stay?  How would he eat?  And would Nikko get in trouble?  Though he wasn't the fox's teacher, he was supposed to take care of him, at least temporarily.

At lunch, he called Knight to check in.

"Everything is okay!" Knight reported.  "But... he won't do any chores."

"Well, that's all right.  He's still technically a guest."

"Okay."  Then a second later, Knight's voice got very low.  "Nikko..."

"Yeah?"

"I miss you."

Nikko smiled, though it was bittersweet.  They lived together, ate together, lounged on the couch and watched TV together.  But for three nights they had been unable to sleep together, unable to kiss, unable to make love.  Pretending to be nothing more than teacher and student was draining, even though they had so much practice with it.

"I miss you, too," Nikko answered softly.

He got home late that night, after-holiday meetings that seemed to take forever keeping him from his family.  When he did get home, he arrived bearing cake.  It was partially a bribe, partially an experiment.

Knight greeted him, as always, carrying a dishtowel and a smile.  Such a lovely little wife; Nikko wanted to kiss him up and down.  Instead, he said "Sorry I missed dinner.  I brought dessert."

"Looks good," Knight replied happily.

The pink fox's face appeared from around the corner, small nose quivering.  "Is that cake?" he asked, voice laced with suspicion.

"I got macaroons too," Nikko said as he held up the bag of treats.

The fox stalked up to him, sniffing softly as if scenting out sugar and cream.  Then he pulled the cake out of Nikko's hands and looked at him with a crinkle to his nose, his upward-curved lips pulling down.  "If you think you can win me over with this, you're wrong."  He spun and headed towards the kitchen with a curl to his tail.

Knight chuckled.  "I'll make tea."

 

 

 

 

The fourth and fifth days were much the same.  The pink fox spoke to Nikko when it convenienced him, but mostly ignored him.  Though sometimes it seemed like he had to make an effort to ignore Nikko.  He would start to laugh at one of Nikko's jokes, then quickly wipe the smile off his face.  If Nikko asked him a question, he would begin to answer before suddenly cutting himself off, going silent.

And sometimes Nikko would catch the fox watching him interact with the other students with such longing in his eyes, like the deepest desire to be part of their den.  He kept his distance when Nikko checked Knight and Bishop's homework, he refused to join their question and answer sessions, but his eyes were always on them – always on Nikko – always watching.  Though he acted like it would kill him to ever admit he wanted that for himself.  Nikko wondered if the fox was lonely.

Not much had changed by the sixth day, though the apartment felt quieter.  Their week was almost up, and the fate of the pink fox hung heavy in the air.  Nobody talked about his leaving; nobody asked if he wanted to stay.  The fox seemed resigned, head purposely held extra high, even though he tried to hide it by acting cheeky.

Two foxes took over the couch, allegedly watching TV.  Nikko had pulled over a chair from the kitchen and Bishop sat in his usual spot on the floor with a puzzle book in front of him.  For a moment, Nikko thought the pink fox's last evening there would pass quietly, hardly noticed.

He should have known better.

They were barely halfway through whatever program was on when Nikko saw the pink fox grab a cushion from the couch and take aim.  He threw the cushion, giving a little giggle when it landed square in Bishop's lap.  Bishop looked up at the fox and scowled.

"Hey, now," Nikko said in warning.

The fox only laughed more when Bishop began pressing the cushion against his crotch.

"Bishop, no!"

It was too late.  Bishop was on his knees, cushion held tight to his groin as he began grinding against it.  His slim hips thrust away, heedless of those around him, fully engaging in his dog habit.  Nikko pressed a hand to his forehead in defeat while the pink fox just laughed.

"You don't need to use the cushion," the fox said between giggles.  Then he slid off the couch and crawled over to Bishop, purring "You can use me."  He lifted a hand, aiming to touch, and Bishop immediately abandoned the cushion, scampering across the living room to hide behind Nikko.  The fox pouted and stood up.

"I told you," Nikko said, stern face in place.

"I know, I know," the fox replied while rolling his eyes.  "First rule, don't touch the dog."  Then he looked over to Knight, smile coming back flirty.  He was definitely bred for sex.  "How about you?"

Knight blinked, confused.  "Me?"

"Yeah," the fox grinned.  "It's my last night; let's make it memorable."

"Memorable?"

The fox plopped back onto the couch, practically on top of Knight, and slid a hand up Knight's chest.  "Let's do it."

"Do... it?" Knight parroted even as his eyes widened and his nose began to quiver.

"Let's fuck."

Nikko wanted to snap.  He wanted to tell this brat to get off of _his_ Knight and get out, but all he could do was grip the knees of his pants and bite his tongue, staring and glaring hot.

Knight was far calmer about it, hands gentle as he pushed the other fox away, voice light as he said "I can't.  I told you before, I already have a mate."

The pink fox was silent as his expression – his entire aura – grew increasingly dark.  Then finally, he sneered.  "Is fucking a _human_ really that great?"

Nikko's heart stopped.

He knew.

They had been so careful; they hadn't slipped at all – not a single wayward glance, not a touch, not a breath in each other's direction to give them away – but he still had found out somehow.  It wasn't fair.

"With a human," the fox spat as he stood up again.  "Disgusting."

Nikko's voice came out thick as he tried, hoped, prayed.  "Knight's mate isn't a hu-"

"His scent is all over your bed," the fox snapped.  Then his lip curled up.  "So is the scent of his cum."

Knight was on his knees then, pulling at the other fox's hand, tears pouring down his face.  "Please don't tell anyone!" he begged.  "It's a secret!  Please!  If anyone finds out, I'll get taken away from Nikko!  But I love Nikko!  Please!"

"How could you?" the fox said.  His own voice had gone strained, as if he was trying to force the anger into his voice.  "You're betraying animals by being with him.  Don't you get it?"  Then a well of tears broke open, running down the fox's face.  He shouted through it.  "Humans only use animals!  They don't care!  They use animals for fashion!  For entertainment!  For sex!"

"Nikko isn't like that!"

"They're _all_ like that!"

Nikko stood then, slowly.  His heart hurt, close to crying himself, but he held himself together enough to softly ask "What happened to you?"

The pink fox wrenched his hand away from Knight and roughly scrubbed at his cheeks, wiping tears away.  He fumed silently for a moment, and then answered in a bitter voice.  "The family I was with had a daughter, a pathetic fifteen-year-old.  And she...  She _offered_ herself to me, and I went for it, because I didn't know any better.  I _didn't_ -  I didn't know any better..."

Nikko took a step closer, but he didn't know what to say or if he should say anything, and he didn't think even a comforting touch would be welcome.  He understood a lot better now, though.  He understood the fox's hurt and betrayal.

"Then one day her dad caught us," the fox continued, speaking in a broken voice.  "He was furious, and put all the blame on _me_.  Nobody believed I didn't understand what I had done wrong, and nobody stood up for me.  That girl let everyone believe it was _my_ fault."

"I-  I'm sorry..." Nikko whispered.

The fox's tears spilled again, voice rising.  "I was returned to the facility and _punished_ , and still nobody believed me!  And I-!"  He sobbed.  "I don't want to die!"

Nikko reached for him then, pulling the fox to him and tucking his head into his neck.  The guy may have spent the past week acting like a brat, but Nikko never could stand seeing an animal in pain.  He ran his hand through long hair as the fox clung to him, crying.  Then his gaze met with Knight's, and they shared a nod.

It seemed like forever, or maybe just a blink, but then the fox suddenly pulled away from Nikko, sniffling.  "I hate humans."

"I understand," Nikko replied.

"But...  I won't tell anyone about you guys."  He sniffled again.  "I don't want Knight to be punished."

Knight scrambled to his feet, taking the other fox's hand again.  "Thank you!"

"Whatever," the fox said, pulling his hand away.  His gaze dropped, unable to look at anyone.  "I'll go pack my stuff."

"If you want..." Nikko started, steeling himself for what he was about to say.  His life was going to change drastically once again.  "You can stay with us."

The pink fox looked up slowly, hesitant.  "Really?"

"Y-Yeah.  You deserve better than being used as training bait."

The fox sniffled, but squared his shoulders.  "Yes, I do."

Nikko couldn't help but smile.  "Just remember..."

"I won't touch the dog."

"All right."  Then Nikko's smile turned up.  "Then, welcome."

"I'll be your big brother!" Knight chirped.  He seemed happy and excited to have their family grow, to have more people around to play with.  "Ah, but Bishop is probably still younger than you, so he'll be the littlest brother."

Bishop peered out from behind the chair Nikko had been sitting in, and he quietly said a simple "My steaks..."

Nikko chuckled.  "Rule number two, don't touch Bishop's food.  But... I think he's okay with you staying too."

The fox gave a brilliant smile, belying the gratitude he couldn't voice, but then he covered it with an haughty sigh as he fell dramatically to the couch.  "I'm so stressed out.  Someone massage my feet."

 

 

 

 

Jack was greeted with a hug and a faceful of pink hair.  Nikko almost felt sorry for him.  _Almost_.

Face lost somewhere in the too-long ponytail, Jack's voice came through to say "I see I did not prepare the contract in vain."  Then he reached up to brush the hair away enough to reveal one red eye, looking at Nikko over the fox's shoulder.  "Mr. Krakowski."

Nikko smiled.  "Mr. ...  Uh...  Rabbit."

Jack was silent a moment, and then that single eye curved into an unseen smile.  "I knew I could count on you."

They went over the contract at the kitchen table, this time two folding chairs squeezed in, evidence of just how crowded Nikko's life was getting.  Two years ago he lived alone; now he would have to start looking for a place for four.

The contract this time was a little different, since he was taking over a returned student instead of taking on someone new.  It came with a report of why he had been returned – it told basically the same thing as had been revealed the night before, except with a claim that the fox had forced himself on the daughter – and Nikko had to initial that he understood, and initial that he wouldn't attempt to contact the previous teachers.

The contract also included the fox's previous name.  Nikko understood why he wanted to be called something else.  Though, Nikko was a bit skeptical of the new name the fox had chosen.

"Will you be going with a new name?" Jack asked.

Nikko sighed.

They discussed it for a long time the previous night.  Nikko told the fox of the inadvertent theme they had going, but assured him that they would call him whatever he wanted.  But the fox wanted to be part of the theme – part of the family – and after reading up on the rules and pieces of chess, he triumphantly made his choice.

Nikko shouldn't have been surprised, but still...  "That's a woman's title."

"Says who?" the fox had challenged.

"Says...  It just is."

"It's the most valuable piece in the game, right?  So it suits me."

Nikko hadn't bothered to argue.  He had said anything was okay, and he wouldn't go back on that.

"Yes!"  The fox answered Jack's question with the bright smile of someone who had been given a second chance at life.

Hopefully his reign would be benevolent.

"I'm Queen!"


	40. Searching For

 

 

 

He sat still, bare-chested and shivering as he waited for Nikko to finish sifting through his hair.  He didn't know what Nikko was looking for, though.  Usually Nikko cut his hair, to save money and so they didn't have to explain to a barber why Knight's ears were on top of his head.  Bishop cut his own hair, Knight helping him with the back, and Nikko went to the barber, because nobody could figure out how to do an 'undercut'.  Everyone looked good!  Knight thought so.

By now Nikko was pretty quick at trimming Knight's hair, but this time he had said "Okay, all finish-" and then stopped.  Knight felt Nikko's fingers scrounging through the locks as if searching, sometimes pausing and leaning closer.  He came around the front and held Knight's bangs back, analyzing his hairline.

Knight blinked up at him.  "Nikko?"

Nikko let his hair go and looked down, brown eyes moving to study his face.  "You've got gray hair," Nikko said at last as his hand buried back into Knight's bangs.

"I do?"

"Yeah."  Then he smiled.  "Knight, just how ol-"

His question was interrupted when Queen came over, sliding his arms around Nikko.  "Is it my turn yet?  I want my hair played with too."  Now that he wasn't acting mean, Queen's voice was much lighter, like a song, often flipping up at the end.  Sometimes he was naughty, pretending his ankle hurt so Knight would carry him or trying to copy Bishop's homework, but Queen – the real Queen, who wasn't angry or scared for his life – was actually very friendly, funny, and playful.  He loved to run and play games almost as much as he liked to sleep, and he had a way of fluttering his eyelashes that guaranteed there were always sweets in the apartment.

"All right," Nikko said.  He ran his hands over Knight's shoulders, brushing away remaining hair clippings.  "Have a seat."

Knight stood so that Queen could sit, moving to another chair so he could watch as he pulled his shirt back on.

Queen pulled the tie that usually held his hair back out, letting it all fall in a pink cascade down his back.  It was really long!  It probably went past his tail when he stood.  A very pleased and content look came over Queen's face as Nikko began to run his fingers through the long hair.  Knight could relate to that feeling well – it felt great when Nikko pet his hair.

"Just trim the ends," Queen requested.

Nikko hummed in acknowledgment, pulling the hair back a bit.  "I'd like to do something with the sides as well."

Queen gave a horrified gasp.  " _No_."

"With your hair pulled back, it's really obvious you don't have ears."

"I have ears!"

"I mean _human_ ears."  Then he brushed fingers through the front part of Queen's hair.  "If we just extend your forelocks a bit, it'll hide the sides of your head better."

"But..."

"Either that or start leaving it down."

Queen pouted.  "If I leave it down, I'll end up sitting on it.  I don't care if people know I'm a fox."

"You're here to learn how to be human," Nikko said, sounding like a teacher as he picked up his scissors and began trimming just a little bit from the ends of Queen's hair.  "You want to-"  Then Nikko's voice and hand both stopped.  A moment or two ticked by, and then he quietly finished with "You want to graduate someday, don't you?"

It was quiet; Queen seemed to be thinking, and also feeling the atmosphere.  Finally, he said "Okay, do what you want."

"You'll still be gorgeous," Nikko replied, lip tilting up lightly.

"I know."

Knight giggled.

Nikko was pretty good at cutting hair, and when they were finished, even Queen was satisfied with the result.  He basically looked the same, but the hair parts on the sides of his head were shorter, not reaching the ponytail, and fluffier.  It looked like there were probably human ears there, just hidden by hair.  If he would hold his ears down, nobody would realize he was a fox.

"I don't feel I should have to hide who I am," Queen complained as Nikko physically held his ears down.

"I agree," Nikko said.  "But sometimes human society makes a big deal out of people who are different.  For now, it's easier and safer if you can pass as human."

"Human society is stupid."

Nikko snorted.  "Believe me, I know."

"Do you know what makes it better?"

"What?"

"Giving cute foxes scalp massages."

"Oh?"  Then Nikko's lip pulled up into an adorable and sly grin.  He slid over to where Knight sat, burying his fingers once again into Knight's hair and rubbing his head.  It felt good, and Knight felt something like a purr pull from his throat.  "You're right," Nikko said, smile broadening.  "Everything is so much better already."

Queen's jaw dropped in horror, though there was still a sparkle in his eye.  "You are an awful human!"

Knight laughed, happy at how their family had grown.  Though Nikko and Queen got off to a rough start, they got along very well now, and Knight was _so_ glad.  He had laughed so much the past couple weeks, he almost forgot all the bad things that had happened recently.  If only he could forget completely.

 

 

 

 

Bishop was given the job of looking for a new home for them.  Actually, Knight was a little bit jealous that such an important task was trusted to the youngest among them, but with some thinking and explaining, he understood why.  Bishop liked to work – "diligent," Nikko said – and always did way more than was needed for any task, never overlooking anything.  It was a good job for him.

Nikko assured him the final decision would be made together, and Knight was more than happy with that.

When he wasn't doing his regular homework, Bishop was surrounded with catalogues and printouts of homes for sale.  Every night, Nikko would go through the materials, eliminate the ones that wouldn't work or he didn't like, and had started ranking the places he was really interested in.  In first place was a small house with a small yard and a small fence.  Nikko said it was perfect for a small family like them, easy to take care of and in a nice neighborhood.

"On Saturday, let's go look at this one," Nikko said as he stared at the picture once again.

Knight was curled up next to Nikko, head resting on Nikko's narrow shoulder, reviewing the places Bishop had marked together.  "Okay, Nikko."  He smiled.  "Do you want me to call and make an appointment?"  That was Knight's job, because Nikko hated phones.

"Yes, please."

Knight got up to look for his phone, even as he heard Queen comment "I like the pink house."

"We can't get the pink house," Nikko replied, explaining once again.  "It's too far outside the city, so the buses don't go there.  I wouldn't be able to get to work."

Knight found his phone under his cap as Queen said "Get a car."

"That is a headache I don't need," Nikko answered as he handed the catalogue to Knight.  "Every car I've ever had exploded within two years of me getting it.  I have such bad luck with them, I'd rather walk."

Knight smiled as he tapped the number into his phone.  The woman who answered sounded kind, and was more than happy to set up a time for them to view the house.  Knight gave her Nikko's name and thanked her before hanging up.  It was so easy.

"We're not painting the house pink," Nikko was saying when Knight came back.

"How about my bedroom?  Can that be pink?" Queen asked.

"That's fine.  You can decorate your bedroom however you want."

"Can _your_ bedroom be pink?"

"No."

"What if Knight wants it pink?"

Knight smiled again as he resumed his seat next to Nikko.  "I like yellow."

Queen flipped his hair over his shoulder.  "You would."

"Is the appointment all set?" Nikko questioned.

"Yes!" Knight answered.  "She said we can go at one o'clock!"

Nikko gave a smile of gratitude that made Knight's heart feel fuzzy, and then he lifted his hand in gesture.  "Fingers crossed."

"We can paint the _grass_ pink," Queen said as if in awe of his own idea.

" _No_."

 

 

 

 

Nikko dressed up a bit on Saturday.  Knight wondered if he should have too, but Nikko didn't say anything about it, so maybe casual was okay too.  Queen had been bribed into keeping his ears down and Bishop had his cute hat on; everyone looked nice and human.

The small house was in a small neighborhood, far enough from their apartment that they had to take two buses.  It was still the same distance from Shochu Elementary, though, according to Nikko.  Nikko didn't hold Knight's hand on the way there, which made Knight sad, but also made him think there must have been a reason why.  Nikko was being cautious, so Knight would be too.

The woman from the phone answered the door, greeting them with a pleasant smile.  Nikko gave his own greeting, with an added "We're here to look at the house."

"You're Nikko?" she confirmed.

"Yeah."

"Well, come on in."  She opened the door wider, stepped back, and the tour began.

It was a nice house, very quaint.  The woman explained as she showed them the living room and kitchen that she and her husband had moved in after the last of their children went away for college, their previous house seeming too large for only two people.  Her husband had passed away just a few months prior, and now she was down-sizing once again to a single-room apartment.

She said it would be a good starter place for a young couple.  Nikko agreed with her in a voice that revealed nothing either way.

There was a nice backyard, large enough that it would give Queen plenty of room to run; probably large enough to play Frisbee in.  The garage was detached, separate from the house, and Knight saw a large, expensive-looking car parked inside.

Upstairs were the bedrooms, one large and two small.  Knight thought it would be perfect for them, and he smiled as they were shown the first room.

"This one we just used for storage," the woman said, flicking on the light in the small room, completely bare.  "So it's quite clean."  She smiled.  "Even three rooms was a bit much for us, but for you gentlemen..."

"Those two will share," Queen said before anyone else could speak, tilting his head toward Nikko and Knight.  "Since they're in _love_."  He sang the last word.

The woman's smile fell for a brief second before picking up again, slightly more stretched.  "Oh," she said.  "Dearie me, I thought you were college boys looking for a new frat house."

"Nope.  We're a family!"  Queen's eyes shone brightly.

"We'll treat the house with the utmost respect," Nikko said then, but there was no happiness or hope in his voice.  "We understand it must mean a lot to you."

"I'm sure you would," the woman replied.  Then she turned, leading them out of the room and back down the stairs, speaking as she went.  "The neighborhood association can be very strict.  They've been known to drive people right out of the area."  Her smile stretched again.  "They're very protective of property value, and all."

"I see," was all Nikko said.

"Well, that's all there is to see."  She hadn't shown them the other two bedrooms.  "I've had some really good offers on the place, but feel free to put in a bid, if you'd like."

"Yeah," Nikko replied.  "We'll get in touch with you when we've got everything ready."

The woman opened the door, holding it for them as they filed out.  "I look forward to hearing from you again."

Pleasantries were exchanged again, and then they were back on the street.  The walk towards the bus stop was quiet, until Queen spoke up with "Let's put a hammock in the backyard."

"We're not getting the house," Nikko replied, voice as blank as his expression.

"What?  Why not?"

"She won't sell to me because I'm gay."  Then Nikko's voice went dark.  "She probably thinks we're going to use the place for some kind of homo orgy."

"But we have money."

Knight spoke up then, remembering what Nikko had told him before.  "It's bigotry.  Some people will be mean to others just because they live different lives.  Even if we have money, some people won't sell us their houses just because Nikko and I are a... a boy couple.  They just want to be mean."  He looked to Nikko then, brows coming together.  "Right?"

"That's... the gist of it."  Then, finally, Nikko reached up and took Knight's hand.

"That's stupid."  Queen frowned.  "Humans can be so dumb."

"That's why I like animals better," Nikko replied.  He gave a tiny smile before continuing.  "As I said before, sometimes human society makes a big deal out of people who are different, so, please, don't mention that Knight and I are a couple to anyone.  You never know how they're going to react.  For now, if anyone asks, we'll say that you three are brothers, and that you're my nephews.  But it's better not to say anything at all.  Okay?"

Knight squeezed Nikko's hand.  "Okay, Nikko."

Queen just shrugged, saying "Fine."

 

 

 

 

They called to look at the second house on Nikko's list, but it turned out that one had been sold to someone else already.  They also just missed the third choice, and the fourth one had the owners saying they had changed their minds and weren't selling after all, and they apologized that the ad hadn't been taken off the website yet.

They were having bad luck.

At the same time, Nikko had to do many other things to buy a house, things that Knight didn't understand.  He didn't know what a mortgage or lender were, didn't know what pre-approval meant.  He just knew Nikko had to dress up and go to the bank a lot, and there was nothing Knight could do to help.  He felt useless; no matter how much he tried to study up on buying a house, the words just didn't make any sense to him.  Bishop helped a lot – Knight was worthless.  Just a stupid fox.

But he did what he could, and what he could do was take care of Nikko.  So he made sure Nikko had hot coffee every morning and – hopefully – tasty meals in the evening.  He massaged Nikko's shoulders each night, and tried his best to pleasure Nikko with sex before bed.

It wasn't much, but Knight did what he could.  He wished he could do more.

The fifth house on Nikko's 'to-check-out' list was still available, and happy to arrange for them to tour it.  They went on a Sunday.  Knight dressed up more nicely this time, wearing the suit Nikko had bought him last year.  He didn't know how to tie the necktie, though, so he went to Bishop for help.

As Bishop weaved the silken material into a knot, he spoke softly, saying "I believe in human families, it's customary for older children to get their own bedrooms."

"Hm?"  Knight blinked at him, questioning, but Bishop didn't say anything else.

When he went back to his and Nikko's room, he found Nikko working on his own tie.  "Is Queen up?" Nikko asked.

"No, he's still sleeping."

Nikko sighed.  "Could you wake him?"

"Okay."

"Make sure he's up.  Make sure he's standing and moving around.  Don't let him go back to sleep."

Knight laughed lightly, replying "Okay, Nikko."

Waking Queen up could be a chore.  He didn't like waking up, and usually just went right back to sleep.  Sometimes he even promised he was awake even while his eyes were still closed, and once he was still asleep after Knight picked him up and stood him on his feet.  He never woke up grumpy, though, so that was good.

He went to Bishop and Queen's shared room.  Queen was sleeping on his stomach with his blanket pulled over his head, his ears the only part of him visible.  Knight shook the wrapped bundle, saying "Queen, wake up.  You have to wake up."

The bundle made an unintelligible mumble that Knight thought was supposed to be words.

"Wake up," he said again, and then he grabbed the blanket and pulled it down.

Queen immediately sat up, grabbed the blanket, and pulled it back over himself as he lay down again.

Knight scowled, then grabbed the blanket again, this time pulling it off the bed completely, prompting Queen to curl into a ball and cover himself with his tail.  So Knight shook him again, slightly more roughly, calling "You have to wake up so we can look at a house!"  And when he got no response, he picked Queen up entirely and carried him to the bathroom.  He dropped Queen into the bathtub, then reached over and turned on the cold water, letting it rain down.

Queen's eyes popped open and he began scrambling to get away from the freezing spray, crying out "Waa!  Cold!  Cold!  Cold!"  He managed to flop onto the bathroom floor, panting heavily.

"Are you awake?" Knight asked.

"No," Queen answered.

"Good."  Then Knight smiled.  "We're leaving soon to look at a house."

This house only took one bus to get to.  Nikko said it was a "townhouse;" Knight didn't know what that meant until he saw it.  It was a small, two-story house, right in the middle of a line of other small, two-story houses, all of which were attached to one another.

"There's a shared wall on each side of the house," Nikko explained as they walked down the sidewalk towards the house.  "So if we get this place, you'll have to be a little quiet."

" _We're_ not the ones who need to worry about being quiet," Queen replied.  It made Nikko blush, though Knight didn't understand why.

It was a man who answered the door this time.  He was pretty big – one of the biggest humans Knight had ever seen – and had a child slung over one shoulder, another held in one arm, both of them laughing and calling "Daddy!  Daddy!"

The man just looked to Knight, saying "You're Nikko, right?  About the house?"

Knight pointed down, and Nikko stuttered "I- I'm Nikko."

The man smiled broadly.  "Well, come on in.  I'm Chris."

"It's a pleasure," Nikko replied as they entered the house.

There was a small arch of an entryway, but no hallway like their apartment had.  A single step put them in the living room, where Chris was swinging his kids around, sweeping them onto their feet.  He bopped one on the head and said "Go play out back while I show these guys around."

The little boy and girl both chorused "Yes, Daddy!" in unison before scuttling out a sliding glass door on the other side of the room.

"Sorry 'bout that," Chris said.  "They're little monsters."

Knight gave a chuckle, and even Nikko smiled.

"So, as for the tour."  Then Chris gestured towards a short hallway off to one side.  "Over here is the ground floor bathroom and two bedrooms.  There's some normal wear and tear, but we'll have everything cleaned once we're moved out."

The bathroom was standard, and the bedrooms were both the same size and essentially the same shape, the only difference being one had a large window that overlooked the street and the other had another sliding glass door that opened to the backyard.

"Upstairs is another bedroom and bathroom," Chris said.  "It was fine for us, but if all four of you are moving in..."

"Someone will have to share, but...  We'll figure that out later," Nikko replied.

Knight remembered then, what Bishop had told him.  "I should get my own room," he said.  "Since I'm the oldest."  They were playing at being a normal family – three brothers and their uncle – and saying certain, normal family things would help that illusion.  Probably.

"That's not fair," Bishop answered with as much of a scowl as he could muster.

"We'll figure that out _later_."  Nikko actually sounded like a strict guardian – he was good at acting!

On the other side of the living room were a small dining area and the door to the back yard.  They stepped out a bit, Knight smiling at the kids playing with some trucks, and looked around.  The yard was tiny, no room to run or anything, but enough for perhaps a small garden or to just lay out in when they wanted fresh air.  The whole thing was surrounded by a high, stone wall, keeping it private from the neighbors, and it seemed very cozy.

"I like it," Nikko said.  There was a small smile on his face that made Knight's tail curl against his leg and gave him a good feeling about the house.

There was a wall that separated the kitchen from the living room, and next to the kitchen was a door to the garage.  Knight remembered Nikko saying the garage would just be used for storage, since he didn't have a car, and also threatening to throw Queen out there if he didn't behave.  The thought made Knight smile.

The last part of the house was the upstairs, which was just one large bedroom with a bathroom off to one side.  There was a small window over the street, but otherwise it was pretty closed off and private.  Knight figured, if they got this house, that this would be his and Nikko's room – their little love-nest up high – and his eyes began traveling around, imagining how it would look.

When he looked back at the people around him, he found Nikko watching him with a smile.  He wondered if Nikko was thinking the same thing he was.

Back in the living room, Chris spread his arms and asked "What do you think?"

"I like it, a lot," Nikko replied, and Knight got the feeling he wasn't acting that time.

Chris smiled a chummy grin.  "I know it's small, but..."

Nikko shook his head.  "It's fine.  I don't need or want anything too big.  We just needed a little more space than the apartment we've been crammed in."

"No doubt."

The rest of the conversation was things Knight didn't understand, about inspections and realtors, but when they left, Nikko carried a smile.

They walked silently for a while, all the way to the bus stop.  Then, as they waited for the next bus to come by, Nikko asked "What do you guys think?  Would that place be all right?"

"Yes!" Knight answered, matching Nikko's smile.  "I liked it!"

Queen put a hand to his cheek, daydreamy.  "That back bedroom got so much sunlight.  I bet it's really warm."  His voice was a song.

Bishop nodded his approval as well, and Nikko's grin turned up.  He looked excited.

"Okay, let's go for it."

 

 

 

 

There were a lot of 'yes's, 'all right's, and nods coming from Nikko as he talked on the phone, but he didn't say anything that gave away the contents of his conversation, nor could Knight read anything from his expression.  Nikko sat cross-legged on the couch, small enough that both his legs could fit on one cushion.  Knight was next to him, sitting sideways with one leg curled under him so that he could face Nikko.  Behind him, Queen kneeled on the floor with his upper body draped over the arm of the couch, and Bishop sat on the floor, as usual.  In the air was an electricity of excitement, everyone anxious.

Finally, Nikko said "Thank you," and pulled the phone away, tapping to disconnect the call.  Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as if trying to keep calm, or trying to keep himself from crying.

"Nikko?" Knight said softly.

Nikko opened his eyes, and then his smile came huge and bright as he said "We got the house!"  He threw his hands up in a cheer, then leaned forward and wrapped them around Knight, pulling him into a tight embrace.  Knight could feel and could smell the happiness pouring off of Nikko, and it sent his tail beating out of control against the couch.  "Can you believe it?" Nikko said then, voice thick.  "We're going to have a home of our very own, and we're going to fill it with _family_."

Knight liked the sound of that.  His own arms went around Nikko, squeezing him.  "Yes, Nikko."

"Hey," Queen said from behind.  "Don't we get to share in the love too?"

Nikko laughed and pulled back a bit, extending an arm as he looked over Knight's shoulder.  "Of course."

Queen came around and wiggled in between them, throwing an arm around each and smiling happily.  He had lived in a house with people before, but Knight got the feeling Queen had never before felt like he was part of a family.

Knight's smile went soft.  Nikko was so amazing to give this to them.

Even Bishop scooted a few inches over, his tail thumping against the carpet.  Knight put a hand to his head, and Bishop rested his chin on Knight's knee.

For a while, the four of them sat just like that, and then finally Knight said "Nikko?"

"Hm?"

"Thank you."

Nikko didn't ask what for.  From the glowing smile he gave, Knight knew he really didn't need to.


	41. A Day and Forever

 

 

 

Just for one day, he would get away from it all.

Buying a house was far more stressful than he had thought it would be, and he had anticipated a hell of a lot of stress.  Chris had been easy to work with, which helped a lot; the inspectors were less so, and cost more than he would have liked.

It needed to be done, though.

Nikko had been surprised at himself, realizing just how much it had meant to him to be able to provide his students – his family – with a home of their very own.  These silly animal boys had given him so much, given him a reason to live and a reason to laugh.  After spending so much time telling himself he was fine on his own, he couldn't imagine living like that ever again.  Giving them a warm home was the very least Nikko could do.

It was just so very stressful.

But for one day, he would leave the stress behind, and celebrate.

March marked the two-year anniversary of Knight coming into Nikko's life.  Two years of happiness, joy, fear, and pain.  Each day they had spent together had been both sweet and bittersweet, and each one cherished.

They would celebrate with a date, using the gift certificates Bishop had given Knight for Christmas.  An afternoon at the zoo, then dinner at a nice restaurant, and then they would spend the night at a hotel.  Nikko couldn't wait.

The air at the zoo was brisk, and Knight's nose began to quiver and quest as soon as they stepped off the shuttle bus.  He could smell all the other animals, no doubt.  His eyes were bright, anxious to see and learn more; Nikko couldn't hold back his smile if he tried, in love with the sight of an excited Knight.

Knight 'ooh'ed over the lions and 'aah'ed over the tigers and 'wow'ed over the bears.  He waved at the monkeys and laughed when one waved back, and he stared in awe at a gorilla, commenting on how powerful it looked.  The pandas were cute, even though they just sat there and gnawed on bamboo, and the giraffes...  Well, the giraffes were _socializing_ , so Nikko quickly steered Knight towards the elephants instead.

It was at the elephant enclosure where Knight's smile began to fade.

"They're so big," Knight said almost absent-mindedly.

"Yeah," Nikko replied.  "I think they're one of the biggest animals on the planet."

"They're so big, but...  They don't have much space to move around here."

Nikko looked at Knight, taking in the melancholy that swam in his eyes.  And then he squeezed Knight's hand.  "Of course, the animals would be better off in the wild, where they have all the space they could ever need."  He began leading Knight away then, talking as they walked.  "Humans are pretty selfish, locking animals up just so that we can look at them.  In that aspect, Queen is right.  We do use animals for entertainment."

Knight frowned and his eyes averted, looking away until Nikko stopped them at a different enclosure, this one holding a bald eagle.  Its wings were clipped, preventing it from flying, and its beak was two different colors.  Knight stared at the great bird, eyes going wide when it looked at him and gave a cry.

"But zoos can be very good, too.  Many zoos have conservation and breeding programs, protecting species that are endangered and working to raise their numbers in the wild.  I heard on the news that this guy-"  He gestured to the eagle.  "Had his beak shot off by a hunter when he was in the wild.  Now the zoo protects him, and has built him a new beak."

Knight's expression went from sad to curious to amazed, a myriad of feelings, emotions deep as any human's.  "A new beak?"

"Yeah," Nikko answered with a smile.  "It's just plastic, but at least he can eat now."

A stretch of silence passed, and then Knight's smile came back.  "That's nice."

Nikko nodded, and they resumed their stroll.  "I understand your feelings.  I wish all zoos had all the money they needed to make huge enclosures for the animals, but..."  He shrugged.  "They do what they can, I guess.  It can be a double-edged sword."

Knight was quiet for a thoughtful bit, then said softly "I want to help animals someday."

It was so sweet, Knight's big heart showing itself, shining clear.  Nikko wanted nothing more than to give Knight the opportunity to make that dream come true.  "If anyone can, it's you."

"Nikko, there's penguins!"

And right back to cheerful; that was his Knight.  "Want to go see?" Nikko asked.

"Yes!"

'Penguin Kingdom' was an indoor exhibit, but right outside its entrance was a small enclosure surrounded by a glass wall that was high enough that the penguins inside couldn't jump out, but low enough that a person could totally reach in.  There was a group of teenage girls leaning on the short wall, and one of them shrieked when a penguin grabbed on to the hanging drawstring of her hoodie.  The penguin let go when she pulled back, and the girls laughed loudly.

Another of the girls reached over, hand stretching for a penguin, until a nearby park attendant snapped "Don't touch the animals!"

The girls drew back, lingered a bit longer, and then left.  When the threat of teenagers cleared, the attendant wandered away, trusting a full-grown adult far more than she should have.

Nikko slid around to where the penguins were closest to the wall and began to reach in, pausing only when Knight said "Nikko, don't touch!"

"I just want to see what it feels like."

"But Nikko, the lady said not to touch the animals!"

He was going to be _such_ a bad example, but his desire to pet a new animal was overwhelming.  This was probably a once-in-a-lifetime chance to touch a penguin; how could he not take it?

Nikko looked to Knight, saying "You're right.  And when a worker says no to do something, you shouldn't do it."

"Right," Knight nodded.

"With that being said, I'm going to touch a penguin."

"Nikko!"

He couldn't help but laugh at their role-reversal, but at the same time, Nikko felt proud.  Knight had grown so responsible; it was good.  Nikko felt so even as he let his inner child take over momentarily and stretched into the enclosure again.  He was able to reach one of the penguins and pet it lightly on its little head.  It was surprisingly soft, not slick or rubbery at all, like he had expected, but downy, like a chick.  It was amazing.

The penguin almost immediately reared back and bit Nikko's finger.

Nikko jumped back in shock, pulling his hand away.  Knight was instantly on him, eyes wide with concern, calling "Nikko!  Are you okay!?"

Nikko just laughed.  Apparently, penguins had zero bite force.  "I'm fine."

"It bit you!"

"It's okay.  It tickled."

"Nikko, that's crazy!"

Nikko laughed again, and then in some kind of overwhelming moment, he threw his arms around Knight in a tight embrace, happy, having fun.  "Yeah, I'm feeling a bit crazy today."  At least he could touch a fox all he wanted.

Knight's brows went up, and then he smiled bright.  "Is it because it's our anniversary?"

"That's right, clever fox.  Because I'm so happy."

Knight was practically glowing, shining so bright.  "I'm so happy too!"

Hands entwined again, they entered the 'Penguin Kingdom'.  Knight marveled at how fast the birds could swim, how they looked like they were flying.  He laughed at how the ones lounging on their rocky terrain hopped around.  A butterfly had somehow gotten itself lost in the enclosure and was being chased by a rockhopper, and seeing the stumpy-legged bird try to run was so comical Nikko and Knight both lost their breath laughing.

They had lunch after visiting the penguins, and then hit up the reptile house and the bat cave.  They rode the train and saw zebras and hippos and rhinos.  They saw everything the zoo had to offer, and if Knight still had qualms about animals being locked away in cages, he kept it to himself.  There was no doubt he was having a good time, either way.

Despite the lunch, Nikko was pretty hungry by the time they headed out for dinner.  The restaurant they went to wasn't super fancy, by any means – not to the point where they needed to change out of their casual clothes, at least – but the food was exquisite.  Never before had a pork chop melted in Nikko's mouth as the one he had that night did, and Knight gobbled up his grilled chicken cutlet without breathing after the first bite.

The gift certificate didn't cover dessert, but they ordered some anyway, with Nikko paying the difference.  The Belgian chocolate parfait was well worth the price.

Then the day was done, but their date absolutely wasn't.

Nikko's cheeks burned with blush as they entered the hotel he had reserved, and he wondered if it was a mistake to go there.  He almost wished he had picked someplace normal, instead of a couples' hotel like 'Pina Colada Paradise'.  But it was too late; they were already there, and if he canceled the reservation at this point he would be charged a fee anyway.

So Nikko sucked it up and went to the curtained window, speaking with the clerk who was nothing but a mouth behind the cloth barrier.  At least check-in was basically anonymous and easy, and in no time they had their key and were marveling over the grandiose room.

"There's a vending machine!" Knight said in surprise as he bounced over to a box under the TV.  After peering through the machine's glass, though, he added "I don't think those are snacks..."

Nikko looked into the machine, his blush re-surging when he saw the array of condoms, lube, and rental toys.  "W-We don't need any of that."  That was a lie – he would get an overpriced bottle of lubricant from there later.

He couldn't say why he felt so nervous.  It wasn't like this was their first – or second, or forty-fifth – time together.  The whole reason they had gotten a hotel room was so they wouldn't disturb Bishop and Queen all night.  Sex was an inevitability, and Nikko really wanted it, but his heart raced.

Perhaps because it was their anniversary.  Everything felt more special, and his emotions were running faster than usual.  He wanted the night to be perfect for his dashing Knight.

Nikko dropped his stuff on the room's couch and then headed to the bathroom, peeking his head inside.  As expected, there was a large spa-bath, perfectly designed to accommodate two people, with a selection of bubble-baths presented on a small stand nearby.  So he crept in, started the water, and pulled the stopper.  He chose a floral-vanilla bubble gel and poured it in, transforming the bath to foam as the water filled the tub.

Knight had his phone out, swiping through the pictures he had taken at the zoo and smiling as he curled up on the couch.  Nikko went up behind him, hesitated a moment, then rested his hands on Knight's shoulders.  "Let's...  Let's take a bath," Nikko suggested.

Turning halfway to look up at Nikko, Knight questioned "Together?"

"Yeah.  The tub is really big."

Then Knight smiled.  "Okay, Nikko."  He stood on graceful legs, already pulling his shirt over his head as he moved toward the bathroom, giving Nikko an eyeful of his gorgeous back.

Nikko followed him to the bathroom, fiddling with the cuff of his own sleeve, nerves lit up, heart pounding.

"Bubbles!" Knight cheered, running a hand through the foam.

"Yeah," Nikko replied.  He stuck his own hand in to judge the depth of the water hidden underneath, and then reached to turn off the faucet.  He saw Knight reach behind himself to unfasten and remove the silver necklace he wore, reminding Nikko to remove his own – reminding Nikko that he needed to start undressing at all.

Knight already had his pants off and was climbing into the tub when Nikko finally pulled his shirt off.  It was ridiculous to be so nervous; Knight had seen him naked countless times before.  So he quickly slipped out of his pants and climbed into the foamy water, settling on the opposite side from Knight.  Their legs slid against each other in the middle, finding space alongside each other, and their eyes met across the expanse of snowy bubbles.  They shared a smile.

"Did you have fun today?" Nikko asked, though the answer was obvious.

"Yes!" Knight answered happily.  "I liked seeing the animals!"  Then his smile fell.  "But...  I still think it's sad sometimes too..."

Nikko nodded.  "I know what you mean."  His hand drifted under the water then, finding Knight's foot and running a finger up along the bottom of it.

Knight twitched violently, his leg pulling back as his eyes went wide, bubbles sloshing out of the tub.  So he was a ticklish fox – good to know.  "Nikko!" Knight cried.  Clearly he had never been tickled before.

Chuckling, Nikko went for the other foot, and that one pulled away too.

"Nikko, no!"

He just laughed, his adorable fox too much.  Then, after a moment, Nikko sat up on his knees, wading through the water, up between Knight's legs, until he was close enough to lean in and kiss Knight's lips.  It was soft and chaste, and when Nikko pulled back, he smiled.

"Nikko..." Knight said, softly this time, a whisper between them.  His hands went up around Nikko's hips, pulling him closer, and they kissed again, again.  They kissed until Nikko's dick hardened, growing erect, and he felt Knight's going hard as well.  Their bodies pressed closer together, kiss deepening, until Nikko heard Knight whimper.

He pulled back and ran a wet hand over Knight's hair, and then asked "Want me to wash you?"

Knight pulled him close again.  "Nikko...  I want...  I want Nikko..."  Needy fox.

"I'll wash you first."  Though it was mostly just an excuse to run his hands all over Knight's body.  "Then you can wash me."

Knight both nodded and pouted.

Moving back again, Nikko instructed Knight to hold his breath, then pushed him down to dip Knight's head under the water.  The fox always looked so cute when wet, Nikko couldn't help a chuckle as he reached for the hotel-supplied shampoo.

He had never washed Knight's hair before; it was more difficult than he anticipated, having to be careful of too much water getting in his ears and navigating around the thick horns, but it was also a lot of fun.  Knight both whimpered and purred the entire time.

When the soft, brown hair was rinsed, Nikko next went for the soap, running the lightly-scented bar over Knight's chest and shoulders, reaching around to get his back.  He worked up a lather in his hands and ran them over Knight's horns, unsure of how to wash them, before grabbing the soap again and slipping his hands under the water.

He ran the soap over Knight's abs, intending more on touching than cleaning.  His hand went to Knight's hip, over his thigh, then, hesitantly, along Knight's cock.

Knight gasped, his head thrown back as Nikko continued to wash him gently.  "N-Nikko..."

Nikko smiled at his beautiful fox as he continued to stroke Knight under the water, growing harder still at the way Knight's hips began to thrust into his touch.  He couldn't let it go too far, though – not yet.  So he eased his hand away, refusing to give in even when Knight looked at him with such pleading eyes.  Instead, he smiled and asked "Could you wash my back for me?"

Knight pouted again, but complied, taking the soap.  Nikko turned around, putting his back to Knight.  He wasn't intentionally being cruel, getting Knight wound up and then pulling away, but he wanted the evening to last.  He wanted them to take their time and try new things.  He wanted to draw out every moment and experience, making the night last forever.

Knight slid the bar of soap across Nikko's back, dipping just below the water to his waist.  He seemed to get more into it as he went along, his hands moving more, touching more.  He reached around to Nikko's front, pulling Nikko to him as he ran the soap and his fingers over Nikko's chest.  Then his hands went down, down, taking a page from Nikko's devious book, and took hold of Nikko's erection, stroking him lightly.

Nikko moaned, loving the touch, loving that it was Knight touching him so freely.  A smile spread across his face even as he moaned again when one of Knight's hands reached further below to gently grasp his balls, abandoning the soap to the unseen depths of the tub.  He breathed out a whispered "Knight..."

"Nikko..."  Knight pulled Nikko closer to him, pressing their bodies together.  His hips began to thrust up against Nikko, whimpering, wanting in.  More water sloshed out of the tub, drenching the bathroom floor with Knight's anxious movement.  Nikko's own thrusts into Knight's hand only made the waves worse.

Perhaps someday they could do it like this, surrounded by warm water and lovely scented bubbles.  That night, however, Nikko had something else in mind.  Something that would take all evening and burn sensations into their very souls.

So he pulled away again, a tremendous and near impossible effort, smiled back at Knight, then stood and stepped out of the tub.  He wanted to hurry and wrap a towel around himself, feeling vulnerable with his nude form exposed, but he forced himself to merely pat himself dry with the fluffy towel before ultimately leaving it behind and walking naked to the bedroom.

He heard Knight pull himself out of the tub.  It would take the fox a bit longer to dry off, his fluffy tail taking forever to get to damp when Knight tried to do it himself, and Nikko took the moment of pause to dig his wallet out of his bag and slip over to the vending machine.  He cringed at the exorbitant price of the lubricant, but it was necessary, and better than carrying a bottle from home around all day.

Nikko set the small bottle on the wide headboard of the bed, next to a conveniently-placed box of tissues and a pay-per-porn video guide, then slipped his wallet back into his bag before returning to the bathroom.

Knight sat on the bathroom floor, his tail pulled up between his legs.  He toweled the fur roughly, trying to get it dry, though his movements were hasty and anxious.  "It won't get dry," he said when Nikko stopped in the doorway.

"It's okay," Nikko replied with a smile.  "This is a couples' hotel, so they..."  A blush took over his cheeks as he finished with "They expect the bed to get wet..."

Knight looked up at him, making Nikko feel self-conscious all over again, and then Knight smiled.  "Nikko looks so cute."  He dropped his tail, revealing his heavy erection, and stood up in one fluid motion, rushing to take Nikko's hand.  "Nikko..."

"Knight..." Nikko echoed, and then he gripped Knight's hand and pulled him to the room, to the bed.  His voice went low as he instructed "Lie down."

Head tilted, Knight questioned "Nikko?"  But he complied, lying down on his back, tail pouring out from behind him, cock pointing straight up.  He looked like a platter served especially for Nikko, and Nikko couldn't wait to taste him.

Nikko climbed onto the bed next to Knight, planting a kiss to his lips that Knight returned hungrily, then slowly moved his mouth down Knight's body.  His fox was always so anxious and excitable, always so needy, Nikko rarely got a chance to explore and worship his body.  But he wanted to – he wanted to worship every part of Knight.

He started at Knight's throat, kissing and licking the fresh, clean skin, tasting feint soap and Knight.  He moved to Knight's chest, pressing his lips to a smooth and strong pectoral before drifting to one of Knight's perfectly human nipples.  He took the nub between his teeth, making Knight cry out, then brought his hand up to pinch at the other.

"Nikko!" Knight gasped.  "Nikko, what-!?"  His voice got lost in a whimper.  There were still so many things Nikko needed to teach him about the human body.

Only when Knight's nipples were hard pebbles did Nikko move on to his stomach, tracing the lines of each ab muscle with his tongue.  By now, Knight was panting, a needy, whimpering mess, and Nikko was quite proud and pleased with his work.

He moved lower still, past the brush of caramel-brown pubic hair, until he was face-to-face with Knight's straining erection.  Breathing in, Nikko took in Knight's scent, a deep, masculine scent that was unique to Knight.  Nikko loved it; he wanted to taste it.  So he took hold of Knight's cock, gave a few light pumps, and then brought his mouth to it.  He licked the head slowly, loving the melodic sounds of Knight's gasps, then sucked the throbbing erection into his mouth, sucking lightly as his hand squeezed tighter.

"Nikko!" Knight cried out again.  His hand shot down to grab Nikko's head, burying long fingers into Nikko's hair, but he didn't push Nikko away.  His hips lifted up, thrusting into Nikko's mouth as he moaned loudly.  "Nikko-!"  He thrust up again, whimpered.  "Nikko, it feels good!"

Nikko smiled even as he went down on Knight again, his mouth and hand accommodating Knight's thrusting hips.  He pulled off a bit to lick down the side of the hard shaft, lapped over the head again, tasting the beads of Knight's precum.  He tasted perfectly human.

Swallowing the erection down again, Nikko moved his empty hand to run through Knight's tail, raking his fingers through the damp fur.  It made Knight groan more, and made Nikko's own erection surge further.  Not because it was an animal, but because it was _Knight_.  His Knight.  His sweet, sexy, foxy Knight.

Nikko's name was repetitive on Knight's lips – he was close.  He panted harder and his hips pushed up faster; his hand pulled at Nikko's hair, urgent, needing more.  Nikko gave him all he could, sucking on the dick in his mouth as he slid his lips up and down it.

Then Knight thrust up one final time, holding Nikko's head to him.  He groaned loudly as he came in Nikko's mouth.  His whole body had gone tense, including his tail, which Nikko continued to brush fingers through as he swallowed the streams of Knight's cum.

Heavy breaths panted out of Knight as he fell back to the bed, spent for now.  Nikko pulled away, licking his lips as he looked up at Knight.  Knight looked like his whole world had been blown, eyes wide and unfocused, one hand fisting the sheets in a death grip.  Nikko was pleased.

He crawled up alongside Knight, running his hand through Knight's hair while the fox caught his breath.  The few strands of gray hair that had sprouted on Knight's head caught in the light, glistening threads of silver among the mass of brown, reminding Nikko that he had forgotten all about asking Knight how old he was.  It was ridiculous that he didn't know – he had never really thought about it until he saw those hairs – but he would ask later.  He didn't want to take away from the moment by bringing it up right then.

"Nikko..." Knight said, catching his breath at last.  Nikko's eyes moved to meet Knight's gaze.  "Nikko, that felt really good!"

"I'm glad," Nikko replied as his hand moved to Knight's cheek, giving a caress to soft skin, then further down to run lightly over Knight's arm.  It was a quiet moment, a temporary reprieve, the eye of the storm.

Then Nikko leaned in and kissed Knight, slowly.  Kiss after kiss pecked between them, soft and sweet as honey drops.  He let it stay that way forever, each kiss representing a moment they had shared over the past two years, each nibble a replay of a hardship they had faced, each lick a reminder of what they had overcome.  A lifetime passed before Nikko finally opened his mouth against Knight's, deepening the kiss, letting their tongues touch and wrap around each other.

His hand began to wander, drifting from Knight's arm to his chest.  He pinched at a nipple, making Knight twitch and gasp into the kiss.  Then he continued down, keeping every movement a light, bare touch, moving slowly.  When he reached Knight's dick again, it was already starting to harden once more.  As expected of his energetic fox.

Knight whimpered when Nikko broke their kiss, and Nikko could only smile, feeling wanted, feeling needed.  "I love you," slipped out of his mouth, though he hadn't meant to be quite so sappy, but he didn't take it back.

Eyes wide, Knight burst out with "I love Nikko too!"  And Nikko could only chuckle at the lovely man before him.

He sat up then, caressing his hand up and down Knight's body once more, running a finger just barely along Knight's growing erection, and then he swung a leg across Knight's waist, straddling his hips.  He wanted it like this tonight.

Shock had colored Knight's features as he stared up at Nikko.  "Is-  Is Nikko going to put it in _me_ this time?"

Nikko went still, taken aback.

"You can if you want," Knight continued, voice soft.  "I don't mind.  I want to try."

Somehow, Nikko's heart beat even harder for his beloved fox.  It wasn't that Nikko had never topped before, it was just so rare.  He was so small – so _tight_ – that it was always just assumed he would bottom.  The few times he had asked to switch it up were so embarrassing; he eventually stopped bothering to try.  He had never had a lover simply offer before.

Nikko smiled soft, leaned down, and kissed Knight once more before answering "Next time."  Then he sat back up, slid his ass over Knight's cock, and began grinding against him.

Knight groaned; his hand went up to hold Nikko's hips lightly, pressing his erection up to seek gratification against the cleft of Nikko's ass.  Knight's face was such a myriad of beautiful expressions – love, lust, need, something primal, and something human – Nikko found himself unable to look away.  It was only when Knight's grip on his hips tightened and a small growl emanated from him that Nikko slowed his movements, then stopped.

Yellow eyes looked up at him.  "Nikko?"

Nikko didn't reply, only gave a half-smile before reaching up to grab the bottle of lubricant from the bed's headboard.  Then he lifted himself on his knees as he popped the bottle open, poured a generous amount over his left hand, and reached behind himself.

"I-  I'll help!" Knight said, reaching for the bottle.

Nikko held it away.  "It...  It's okay," Nikko responded as his finger breached his hole.  "Just-"  He moaned; his body burned with a bright blush.  "Just watch..."

Knight's brows drew together but he listened, settling back against the pillow beneath his head.

It was uncomfortable for Nikko to have someone looking at him, watching him, when he was like this.  It was embarrassing, fingering himself, grinding his ass against his own hand.  But, somehow, having Knight's eyes on him turned him on even more.  The discomfort that curious and innocent gaze gave him made him even harder.  He was becoming a masochist.

Another finger entered and he smiled down at Knight, rotating his hips against his hand.  The third finger was a bit too soon, but Nikko's own patience was wearing thin.  He wanted Knight inside him.  So he pulled his hand away, grabbed a tissue to clean off with, then positioned himself over Knight's straining cock.

"Nikko," Knight whispered.  "What do I do?"

Nikko answered with a smile.  "Nothing.  Just relax."  Then he began to lower himself, impaling himself on Knight's erection.

They both moaned loud as their bodies joined, vocal harmony, a song of lust.  Nikko went slowly, agonizingly slow, until they had both gone out of their minds by the time he was seated on Knight's hips.  They panted; Knight's hands found their way to Nikko's hips again; Nikko rotated his hips a few turns, loving the feel of his balls dragging against Knight's groin.

Then Nikko began to move, rising up, rocking back down.  He kept the pace slow, torturous, making Knight whimper in need.  When Knight tried to thrust up into him, Nikko lifted away, not letting Knight take what he wanted, leaving the fox even needier, a hot, whining mess.  Perhaps Nikko was becoming a sadist as well.

"Nikko-"  Knight panted as Nikko rose up again, their bodies sliding together in agony.  "Nikko, _please_!"  Then Knight gasped when Nikko inched down again.  "Please do it like normal."

Nikko gave a low chuckle, then shook his head.  "No."  He rocked up and down again, drawing out every movement.  "I want you in me forever."

"For-"  Knight moaned, shuddered.  "Forever?"

"Yes."

He moved again, again, each time a long, stretched out bit of torment and bliss.  His dick leaked precum to smear over Knight's abdomen, and Nikko dragged a finger through it, lifting the finger to Knight's lips.  Knight was too far out of his mind to notice the treat hovering in front of him, but when Nikko pushed the finger into Knight's mouth, Knight sucked on it almost automatically.  Nikko's erection surged further, but he didn't change the agonizing pace as he continued to ride his beautiful fox.

His hands went to Knight's nipples next, tweaking the little beads that had never been attended to before that night.  Knight cried out, sensitive, and his hips pushed up again, only to have Nikko lift away.

And then Nikko moved his hands to Knight's, pulling them off his hips and intertwining Knight's fingers with his own.  Every time he rose up or slid down, Knight gripped his hands tightly, each long stroke bringing an unceasing pressure around his fingers.  Each jolt of pleasure was communicated through their joined hands, leaving Nikko feeling as though their minds and hearts were as connected as their bodies.

A particularly hard squeeze drew Nikko's gaze back to Knight's face, and he saw tears spilling from the otherwise vacant yellow eyes.  Knight looked like he had found Nirvana, taken to another plane of existence.

Nikko's own body was almost at its limit, screaming at him to ride hard and ride fast.  His dick strained painfully, begging to be touched, near ready to release even without.  Nikko squeezed Knight's hands to keep himself from reaching down and stroking himself off.

Then Knight's eyes clenched shut and his mouth fell open in a silent scream as his head pushed back against the pillow.  His back arched and his hands clasped Nikko's so hard it hurt, a crushing grip as his body was wracked with orgasm.

Nikko leaned back, grinding himself against Knight, only now picking up the pace, though he hardly needed to.  When he was able to pull a hand free, he took hold of himself, giving his erection a few light strokes before pressing it against Knight's abdomen.  He thrust into the space between his hand and Knight's body, and only a heartbeat passed before his own orgasm hit.  His breath hitched, and then he moaned lightly as the cum flowed out of him, running along Knight's stomach, over his side, dripping into the fluffy tail below.

They both went still, breathing heavy.  Nikko remained perched on Knight's hips, one pair of their hands still clasped together.  As he came down from his orgasmic high, Nikko realized he was covered in sweat and exhausted.  Then he heard Knight call softly "Nikko..."

He looked up.  Knight's eyes were clear again, grounded.  Nikko smiled down at him.  "Yes?"

"I feel like I _will_ be inside Nikko forever."

Nikko lifted his body one last time, letting Knight's dick pull free, and then laid over him, not caring about the sweat and fluids that slicked between them.  "You will be."  He kissed Knight gently, loving this fox beyond belief.  "You'll always be a part of me."

"Forever?"

Nikko smiled again.  "Forever."


	42. Sweet Home

 

 

 

A week until moving day, and they had hardly started packing yet.

Part of it was because of boxes.  Nikko didn't want to buy a bunch of new boxes, so he and his gaggle of animal boys went sneaking around behind stores at night, looking for discarded commercial packaging.  It was hard to find anything useful, though, and after several tries, they still only had a few small banana boxes.

The other issue was that Nikko was never home to help or direct, and the students were being overly cautious about doing anything on their own, afraid of messing something up.

All of Nikko's time outside of work was spent at the new house with inspectors or at the bank, trying to figure out loans and financing.  He honestly had no idea what he was doing, and it didn't help that he had nobody to walk him through the process.  He had called Buck close to tears several times, but even that was only marginally helpful, since Buck had built his house himself.

When he was home, Nikko was generally so tired and stressed that he barely had it in him to pick at a cold dinner before he shuffled off to bed.  His students were worried, and that just stressed Nikko out more.

Four days before moving day became two days before moving day.

He spent the first half of his Thursday lunch hour on the phone with the movers.

He had originally scheduled for all of their worldly possessions to be picked up on Sunday evening, giving them Friday evening through Sunday afternoon – almost two full days – to pack, even if it meant resorting to buying boxes.  But business was business and money talked, and when another customer paying for a more premium service needed the movers Sunday night, they were given priority.  Nikko's hands were tied – he had already put in with the apartment owners that he would be out on Sunday, so they couldn't stick around for the movers' next open slot, a week later, and he didn't have the money to change to another, more customer-service friendly moving company.  Though the allowance back payments had been quite a bit, all of the money had gone towards the down-payment on the house and inspectors' fees.  He had no choice but to go with the cheapest movers in the city, and they told him the only other time they could do was Saturday afternoon.

"Fine," Nikko said, frustrated and angry, but afraid to let it show in his voice.  "Thank you."

He hung up his phone and stared at the untouched lunch on his desk.  It was mini hot dogs, potato chips, and apple slices, all lovingly prepared by Knight.  Nikko didn't even feel like eating it.

Just as he picked up a slice of apple anyway, Principal Johnson stuck her head in the door of his classroom.  "Nikko?" she questioned.  "Would you be able to cover the rest of lunch recess?"

"What happened to Bob?"  It was Bob's day to watch over the second half of lunch recess and make sure the kids didn't kill anyone.

"His cat got sick and his wife is freaking out.  He's taking emergency leave to rush Fluffy to the vet."

Nikko looked at his lunch again.  It was unfortunate timing, but he didn't feel like he could refuse.  "Yeah," he said.  "I'll be right out."

"Thanks."  She flashed her charming smile.  "I knew I could count on you."

He popped the apple slice in his mouth as he stood up, then tossed the rest of his food in his lunchbox, grabbed his coat, and headed out to the playground.

 

 

 

 

Nikko was exhausted as he dragged himself through the door, pulling along a bundle of discarded boxes that the school had laying around, just asking to be pilfered.  He wished he were as comfortable taking off from work as Bob was – he had neither learned nor contributed anything useful at the afternoon teachers' meeting, and would have been much better off spending time at home, packing.

In the very least, the dishes should have been well on their way to wrapped, if not finished completely.  Before running off to the meeting, he had sent a text message to Knight, asking him to sneak down to the recycling bin behind the apartment building and grab a bunch of the newspapers that always filled it, then wrap all the dishes in the paper.  They didn't have that many dishes anyway – though there were, admittedly, a ton of coffee mugs that Nikko had accidentally collected over the years – so between the three of them, there was no reason for it not to be done.  All they would have to do is throw the wrapped things in a box and most of the kitchen would be done.

"Welcome home, Nikko," Knight greeted at the door.  He took the boxes Nikko carried while Nikko fumbled to get his shoes off.  "How was work?"

"Exhausting," Nikko answered with a tired smile.  His stomach grumbled loudly – he never did get to eat his lunch.  "I'm starving."

"Would you like dinner?  We had tacos."

"After we pack up the dishes."  He wanted to feel like he got _something_ accomplished that day.  "Did you guys finish wrapping everything?"

"Yes!" Knight answered, seeming proud of himself.  It was a big relief.

A relief, until Nikko walked into the living room and saw the pile of dishes all wrapped together in one big bundle, loosely covered with taped-together sheets of newspaper.  Nikko almost fell to his knees – he wouldn't be getting dinner tonight.

"Oh, no, not like this," Nikko said, trying to keep the frustration out of his voice.  "They needed to be wrapped individually."

"Individually?"  Knight's expression fell.

Nikko sat on the floor, in front of the package of less-than-fine china.  "Each plate and bowl and glass needs to be wrapped in paper by itself so that nothing breaks while being transported."  Then he ripped open the paper wrapping, sighing at the haphazard mess of dinnerware.  "God, we're not going to get anything else done tonight."

Knight sniffled.  "I'm sorry, Nikko.  I didn't understand."

"No, it's okay," Nikko replied.  "It's my fault; I wasn't specific enough.  Just...  Could you get more newspaper?  Like, a lot of it."

"Okay..."  Knight slinked away, the front door shutting behind him a moment later.

After a sigh, Nikko got up and went to Bishop and Queen's room.  Bishop was curled up in the one free corner left of his bed, attempting to read a novel he had borrowed from the library, while Queen chatted at him from the closet.  The dog was quickly running out of space, however, his own bed becoming a heap as more and more clothes were added to it.

Queen's prior family, according to Queen, had treated him as little more than a pet.  Most of the time it meant leaving him to his own devices, leaving him to fend for himself, but sometimes it meant playing dress-up with him.  When Queen's personal affects were sent from the facility, it included a _lot_ of clothes, including some high-end brand items.  Nikko was glad to not have to buy anything new for him, but for some reason Queen had chosen that night to pull everything he owned out of the closet.  Clothes covered his own bed and Bishop's, which Bishop did not look very happy about.

"What are you doing?" Nikko asked from the doorway.

"Making sure everything is still here," Queen sang back.

"Where would it have gone?"

Queen's hands slowed, and then stopped.  His gaze stayed stuck on the fuzzy sweater in his hands.  "I don't know..."

Nikko watched him for a moment, then said "Well, come to the living room.  I need you guys to help wrap the dishes."

"We already wrapped them."  Queen looked up at him then, a question in his red eyes.

"Yes, but it was done wrong, so we need to re-do them."

Bishop dropped his book and slid off the bed, saying a quiet "I told you," as he passed by Queen.

Queen's nose crinkled and he threw his sweater on one of the piles of clothes before following Nikko out of the room.

They set up a few of the boxes Nikko had brought so that they could pack the dishes right away as they wrapped them.  Knight was back by the time they finished, arms laden with more than enough newspaper for two households worth of dishes, and they set right to work.  Nikko showed them how to wrap each type of dinnerware, then took over the packing of each piece while the students wrapped.

The mugs seemed to take forever, but with the four of them working together like an assembly line, it got done in less time than Nikko thought it would.  When the last box was taped up, he gave a little cheer, which made Knight smile at last.

"With the rest of the boxes," Nikko said then.  "I guess we can start packing clothes, since _someone_ emptied their closet already."

"If I pack my clothes, what will I wear?"  Then a scandalized look came over Queen's face.  "Do you want me to be _naked_?"

" _No_.  Pick out two outfits to wear and pack everything else."

"Okay~" Queen sang as he turned to head back to his room.

"And don't forget underwear."

Queen just laughed as he disappeared down the hall.

Nikko looked to Knight and Bishop next.  "You two each grab a box and do the same.  Pick out clothes for two days and pack everything else.  I'm going to get something to eat."

"Okay, Nikko!" Knight replied, and then he and Bishop headed off to follow the instructions, each with a box in hand.

In the refrigerator, Nikko found the leftover fixings for tacos.  It was too late for a big dinner, but one or two wouldn't leave him too sick.  He had just finished putting the first one together when he heard shouting.

"Don't touch my stuff!"  Queen's voice rang through the apartment.  Then a moment later, "Just leave it!"

Nikko sighed, set his taco down, and headed down the hall.  He met Knight outside Bishop and Queen's room, then looked in to see Queen laying his upper body over the pile of clothes on Bishop's bed protectively.  His ears were down and back, as if ready to fight.  Bishop stood on the other side of the room, head turned away.

"What's going on?" Nikko asked, dreading the impending onset of sibling rivalry.

"He's trying to take my stuff!" Queen accused, sending a glare towards Bishop.

"I was just going to move it... so I could use my bed..."

Nikko swallowed his next sigh.  "Queen, nobody is going to take your stuff, okay?  I promise.  But Bishop needs room to work."  He stepped further into the room then, gesturing to the coveted pile of clothes.  "How about we pack these up first, so Bishop can have his bed back?"

"I haven't picked out my two outfits yet."

"Okay...  Well, let's do that quickly."  Nikko picked up a shirt from the pile on Queen's bed.  "How about this and some jeans?"

"No, I want to wear blue."

"All right, then we can pack this."

"No!"  Queen lunged then and grabbed the shirt from Nikko.  "Maybe I want this."

" _Queen_."  It was hard to be mad, though, seeing how desperately the fox clung to the shirt, as if scared to lose any simple thing.  "We're not getting rid of anything; we're just putting it in boxes to move to the new house."

"I know..."

"Then what's wrong?"

Queen was silent for a long while, then suddenly spat " _Nothing_ " and threw the shirt down.  He twirled out of the room, too fast for anyone to stop, and a second later the bathroom door slammed shut, clicked locked.

Nikko sighed again.  He wanted to go to the fox and talk to him, comfort him and see if they could resolve his issue, or at least begin to try to.  But there wasn't time.  They only had a day and half to get things done.

"Nikko..." Knight said quietly, bringing Nikko's focus back.

"Get a box and set it up," he instructed as he began to set aside two outfits for Queen to wear the next few days.  He made sure one was blue.  Together the three of them got Queen's clothes packed – mostly haphazardly, though they took care with the stuff that was brand-name or looked exceptionally high quality – and then moved the boxes to the living room.  Knight wrote 'Queen's Clothes' on each of the four boxes it took with black marker, ready to let the fox know that these were _his_ and that everything was there when he came around.

Then they went ahead and did everyone else's clothes, each of their single boxes being moved to the living room when complete, with an additional pile of stuff to donate being formed along the way.

Queen came out of the bathroom quietly, a pout on his lips.  He joined them in the living room, looking weary.

"Feeling better?" Nikko asked, but Queen only shook his head.

"Look!" Knight said as he patted the stack of boxes that was almost as tall as he was.  "This is _all_ Queen's!"

"Everything is there?" Queen asked with a suspicious eye.

"Yes!  Nikko made sure of it!"

Queen directed a frown at the donation pile.  "What's that stuff there?"

"That's all ours," Nikko answered.  "You can go through it to make sure nothing of yours got mixed in, if you'd like."  He smiled to show it really would be okay for Queen to check, if it would make him feel better.

"No," Queen sniffed.  "I want warm milk."

"Help yourself.  I'm going to bed."  Now that the bathroom was free for him to brush his teeth.  If he could fall asleep right away, he would get all of five hours of sleep before he had to be up for work.

 

 

 

 

He left for work on Friday only after giving Knight explicit instructions to get as many boxes as possible and pack up as much of the apartment as possible during the day.  Their studies could be put on hold until they were in the new house, but the thought of having half his life possessions thrown out on the street if they couldn't get moved in time had him shaking.

It took conscious effort not to be extra short with his fifth-graders, and he ended up giving them more book work than initially planned so he didn't have to stumble around a lecture.  At least Bob had taken his lunch recess duty shift to make up for the day before, though it was only after giving a detailed synopsis of Fluffy's new care routine, complete with pictures.

Before digging into his lunch, Nikko called Knight to check in.

"We got lots of boxes from the bookstore!" Knight declared.

"Great," Nikko answered, a breath of relief whispering through him.  "So have you been packing?"

"Well, we _started_ packing..."

Stress levels flaring again, Nikko filled in the unspoken "But..."

"Bishop's steak came, and Queen wants some, and now they're fighting."

Nikko took a deep breath and said "Okay.  Could you put Queen on the phone, please?"

"Okay, Nikko."

It was silent a moment, with only sounds of Knight moving around coming through the line.  Queen's voice faded in as Knight neared, apparently urging Bishop to share, that a whole steak was too much for someone so small anyway.  Then Knight called out to him.

"Nikko!" Queen said loudly into the phone.  "Bishop has a steak and he won't share.  Tell him he has to."

"He doesn't have to," Nikko replied.

"But-!"

"I told you before not to touch Bishop's food.  His steaks were a present, and he doesn't have to give you any if he doesn't want to."

"But I offered to cook it for him since he can't use the stove!  So he should give me some to repay me!  But he said no, and is expecting Knight to cook it for him!  That's not fair!"

"That's between Bishop and Knight."

"It's not fair!"

" _Queen_."  Nikko's tone shut Queen up quickly.  "How would you feel if I told you you had to give your favorite shirt to Bishop?"

"I-  That's..."

"Since he does laundry, does that mean he gets to wear your clothes whenever he wants?"

"No..."

"It's the same thing.  Yes, it would be nice if he shared, but he doesn't have to if he doesn't want to.  Do you understand?"

There was a long pause, until Queen finally gave a " _Fine_ " and a 'humph', and then the phone went dead.

Nikko clicked his own phone off, sighed, and then let his head fall to his desk.  His face felt hot between his eyes, and he squeezed them shut to ward off crying.  The stress was getting to him – he had to remind himself that in another day they would be moved and things would calm down.  ...  Until they started unpacking and went through everything in reverse.

His stomach growled and he lifted his head, ready to dig in to his lunch with the time he had left, but he stopped short when he saw one of his students sitting calmly at his desk, fiddling with a little doll he often brought with him.

"Benjamin, what are you doing?"

"Don't mind me," the boy replied.

"Why aren't you out at recess?"

"I'll spend my recess here."

He was probably being bullied again.  Nikko let out a slow breath as he stood; he would have to bring this up again at the next teachers' meeting.  For now, he sat at the desk in front of Benjamin's, facing the boy and looking him over for signs of a physical confrontation.  Thankfully, there were none.

"What happened?"

Benjamin played with his doll for a bit, eyes focused in its little face, and then his hands slowed, then stilled.  "They called me a gay-fag."

"Because of your doll?" Nikko asked, and Benjamin nodded.  "That must have made you feel pretty bad, huh?"  And Benjamin nodded again.  "Do you want to start leaving your doll at home?"

Benjamin's face crinkled and turned red, fighting off tears as he whispered "No."

Nikko smiled.  "I didn't think so.  You don't have to."  The doll never distracted Benjamin in class, and was a source of comfort for the boy.  Nikko didn't see anything wrong with it, for the time being.  "She can still come, as long as she does her homework.  Okay?"

Benjamin smiled a little.  "Okay."

"You can stay in here for today, but only for today.  Got it?"

"Yes, Sir."

"All right."  Nikko smiled again, rustled Benjamin's hair, and then patted the doll on the head.  He stood and returned to his desk, more than ready for his sandwich.  He hoped the guys at home were making headway on packing, because it looked like Nikko was going to be home late again.  He knew which group of boys had been picking on Benjamin, and he knew who their ringleader was – the same boy who had been picking on Benjamin for years.  That kid was in a different class, and Nikko wanted to have a chat with his teacher and, if possible, his parents.  It would be good to nip this in the bud as soon as possible, though he would still ask for greater anti-bullying vigilance at the Monday meeting.

He took a bite of his sandwich, flooding his mouth with tuna fish, and then the bell rang.

 

 

 

 

His bag dropped limp from his hand.  He wanted to cry.

The apartment looked like it hadn't been touched.  All of Nikko's knick-knacks and doo-dads were still displayed as before; the video game system and all its games were still untouched under the TV; all of the framed pictures still hung on the wall.  Bishop sat wedged in a corner with the laptop, engrossed in something Nikko couldn't see, and Knight knelt in front of a box, packing away bottles of shampoo and body soap that he clearly hadn't wiped dry first, given the wet spot forming on the side of the box.  Queen was nowhere to be seen.

Nikko's anxiety flared, but then it turned to anger.  He was, for once, well and truly _pissed_ at his students.  It made him want to run to his room and slam the door, stew in silence before he said something wrong, but there wasn't time for that.  Instead, he snapped.  "Why is nothing done!?"

"I'm sorry, Nikko!"  Knight's face was splotchy red, as if he had been crying on and off all day.  "I'm trying!"  Tears started pouring down his face.

"Bishop!" Nikko yelled, making the dog's eyes go wide.  "Why aren't you helping!?"

"I... wanted to learn how to cook..." Bishop said quietly as his head turned away.

"Why now!?  We have to be out of here in sixteen hours!"  He grabbed a broken-down box from the stack leaning against the wall – they had gotten that done, at least – and tossed it in Bishop's direction.  "Get that box set up and pack all the videos and games.  The box for the system is in the closet; put that in with them."  Then he grabbed another box and roll of packing tape and stormed down the hall.

Queen was asleep, of course.  Nikko slammed his hand against the light switch to turn the overhead light on.  "Get up!"

Queen's eyes popped open, shocked at the violent awakening.  His tail bristled, whole body going stiff in fear.

Nikko ignored it.  He threw the box to the floor in front of Queen's bed and tossed the tape after it.  "Pack up all the books.  Put yours, Knight's, and Bishop's books together; we can sort them out at the new house."

Queen began to sit up, rubbing an eye.  "Okay, but first I want-"

"Do it _now_!"

Jolting back, Queen stared at Nikko as if seeing him for the first time.

He couldn't worry about it right now.  Heading back to the living room like a whirlwind, Nikko took yet another box and snatched up the packing tape, setting the box up and stomping off to the kitchen.  He began to throw the pots and pans in, dumping utensils and silverware in after, not caring one bit at how much noise he made.  So what if the neighbors complained?  What would they do, kick him out?

They worked in silence through the night, with Knight softly giving the younger animals instructions, everyone avoiding Nikko.  He never realized just how much _shit_ he had crammed into the apartment until he had to pull it all out of its hiding spots.  Far too much time was spent sorting through things, more and more piles forming around him of things to donate versus things to throw away versus things to pack.  At the very least, as he had found out years ago when he had left his family's house, it was so much easier to get rid of things when he was angry, all sentimentality going out the door.

His stomach hurt.  He never did get to finish his lunch, aside from a few bites of his sandwich throughout the day.  But there just wasn't time to stop and make anything.  His first pang of guilt came when he heard Queen quietly complain that he was hungry, only to be shushed by Knight.  Nikko had calmed in the hours spent sorting through old mail, receipts, and bills, filing trash bag after trash bag, but now he was too embarrassed by his outburst to say it was all right for them to take a snack break.  He stayed silent; they all stayed hungry.

When the last almost-empty bottle of window cleaner was tossed into the trash, when the last box, full of towels and sheets, was taped shut and labeled in black marker, Nikko looked around his bare apartment.  So much had happened there, leaving was almost bittersweet, but he looked forward to a new life in a new home with his boys, even if they surely weren't too pleased with him right then.

It was four-thirty in the morning.  They had to be up at eight to haul everything they were donating – which included Knight's abandoned sandbox – to the nearest charity store, though he had no idea how they were going to transport everything.  Then they had to get back to the apartment to stuff the things they were moving themselves – two outfits each, toothbrushes, leftover food, and anything else they needed right up until the moment they left the place for good – into backpacks and be prepared for the movers to come take their life possessions away.

They could do it.  Nikko told himself that over and over.

"All right," Nikko said, and then he sighed.  "Guys, I'm-"

The world began to spin around him.  He felt like his legs were going to give out, a bout of weakness.  He could feel his hands shake.

"I'm going to bed."

 

 

 

 

It seemed to be through sheer force of will that the four of them loaded up with all of the items to donate and drag them to the charity store.  And though it took longer than he would have liked to get a receipt, he allowed a quick stop by a convenience store for breakfast.  Nikko got a large cup of awful coffee, which was just about the only thing keeping him on his feet as he let the movers into the apartment and directed them on where all the furniture was and confirmed the new address.

Then, with backpacks loaded and one last run-through to make sure the apartment was clean and empty, Nikko finally stood at the mahogany door for the last time.

"This was my first real home," Knight said from beside him.  When Nikko looked up at him, Knight smiled.  "Nikko is remembering things, right?"

And Nikko smiled back.  "Yeah.  I remember the first day I brought you here."  Then he turned.  "Bishop's first day, too.  You haven't even been here a year; Queen's been here barely three months."

Queen pouted.  "Sorry for driving you out."

Nikko shook his head as his smile turned up.  "Don't be sorry.  It just shows how much our family has grown.  I'm very happy about it."

"Oh..." Queen said as he looked away.  Then his eyes turned back.  "Then, you're welcome."

Nikko laughed.  "Thank you.  Now, let's go to our new home."

"Yes, Nikko!" Knight chirped.

Then Nikko closed the mahogany door.

They stopped by the building manager's apartment to drop off the keys and by the garbage bins to throw the rest of their trash away, and then headed off to the house.  The movers were already there, not having to wait for a bus, and Nikko rushed to let them in and started directing where to put things.  He had a few more dizzy spells in the process, exhausted beyond belief from two days of almost no sleep and no regular meals.  But he shook it off, politely asking the big men carrying his bed to take it upstairs.

Then they were gone, and everything went silent.  Nikko almost couldn't believe they were finally there, in their own house.  He wondered if his family would be proud.  Probably, they wouldn't care.

"Well, shall we start unpacking?" Nikko asked.  He should probably eat something, but all their cooking utensils were packed, and his stomach felt queasy from the bad coffee anyway.  He should probably take a nap, but the beds weren't made and he really just wanted to get the final step of this overly stressful process _done_.

He saw Bishop frown, and then the dog pulled his steak out of his backpack.  Juices leaked from the package, dripping onto the contents of his bag, and though the steak hadn't been out of the fridge for too long, it would need to be cooked more sooner than later.

"Put that in the fridge for now," Nikko said.  "We'll unpack the kitchen stuff first, then have lunch.  Okay?"

Bishop nodded, heading to the sparkling clean kitchen while Nikko and Knight carried the boxes of kitchenware into the dining area, setting them on the table.

"Could've had it yesterday if he'd let me cook it," Queen said while plopping into a chair.

"We've been through this," Nikko said, looking around.  He belatedly realized they had packed up all the knives and scissors, and had no way of opening the boxes.  He began to pick at the end of the tape.  "Bishop doesn't have to share if he doesn't want to."

Queen snorted.  "Selfish mutt."

"Technically, he's the only non-mutt in this house."  He was successfully able to pry off a strip of tape, and everything was much easier from there.

Working together, they got the kitchen squared away nicely in no time, and when Knight offered to teach Bishop how to cook steak, Bishop's tail began to wag enthusiastically.  Queen announced that he was going to take a nap, curling up on the couch, and Nikko began unpacking on his own.  He would eat later, once Knight and Bishop were done in the kitchen.

He found the sheets and blankets, and took a set for his and Knight's bed upstairs, setting them down to deal with later.  The toiletries went into the downstairs bathroom; he would buy more to keep in the upstairs bathroom later.  He paused when he got to the photographs, taking time to smile at them.  He had never been one for displaying pictures of himself or even of his family, but Knight had insisted the framed photo Nikko gave him for Christmas be put on the wall, and then a few more joined that one.

There was the one of Knight on Vino Mountain from their trip last year, and one that had been taken of Bishop being handed his trophy from the video game contest.  Nikko had allowed Knight to put up a picture of him with cake frosting on his face from his birthday party.  The newest photo was of Queen holding up his new contract, smiling broadly.  It wasn't a huge collection, but it made Nikko happy, seeing each one.

He held one of the framed photos up, trying to decide where they would go.  They should be the highlight of the living room.  With the picture at arm's length, trying to visualize it against the wall, he slowly spun in a circle, looking for inspiration to hit.  When he was facing the dining area, he found Knight looking at him with a smile.

"Does Nikko want lunch?" Knight asked.  Sitting at the table beside him, Bishop tore into his steak, tail beating against the chair.

Nikko lowered the photo.  "Yeah, that would be great."

"We only have canned pasta, though..."

"Sounds good."  Said with a smile.  Then Nikko placed the frame back in the box it came from and followed Knight, intending to help.

Two bowls sat on the counter.  "We have ravioli and macaroni.  Which does Nikko want?"

"Either is fine."  When Knight handed him a can of macaroni, Nikko took it gratefully, prying open the top.  They worked together like a well-oiled machine, Knight handing Nikko a fork as Nikko handed Knight the metal lid.  Knight rinsed the lid and dropped it in the recycling bin while Nikko began to dish out the pasta, and then he rinsed his can and pulled off the label, sending it to the bin with its lid, while Knight worked at his own can of ravioli.  When they finally had the bowls in the microwave, they shared a smile, and then Nikko's eyes turned down.

"I'm sorry for the way I acted last night," he said.  "How I got so mad."

Knight just shook his head.  "Nikko was really worried, right?"

"Yeah, but..."

"I'm sorry we didn't pack properly."  Knight pouted.  "We made Nikko stressed."

"Well, it's over and done now."  Almost.  "Hopefully _un_ packing will go more smoothly."

"I'll make sure of it!"

Nikko smiled, and the microwave dinged.  He turned to stir the pasta before setting the microwave for another half-minute, and saw Bishop pass by when he turned back around.  There was no trace of the steak left.  Small though he was, meat didn't stand a chance against Bishop's appetite.

"If you're ready," Nikko started after Bishop finished rising off his plate.  "You can go ahead and pick a room and start unpacking your things."

Bishop nodded and wandered away, the microwave dinged again, and Nikko and Knight sat down to have lunch together.  It would be his first hot meal in days, and he blew on a forkful of macaroni before happily popping it into his mouth.  It was delicious, for canned pasta, and Nikko smiled as he chewed.

Until he saw Queen spring up from the couch and run towards the back bedroom.

Nikko's stomach fell moments before the shouting started.  Queen's voice, normally a happy sing-song, had turned petulant and almost childish.  "This is my room!"  If Bishop responded, it was too quiet to hear, but next Queen yelled "I wanted it first!"

Nikko and Knight looked at each other, then Knight stood and headed towards the argument.  Nikko thought about just letting Knight handle it – he was _so_ tired and just wanted to eat one damn meal without interruption – but when he heard a low growl he jumped up from his chair.

Too quickly.  He had stood too quickly.  The room spun around him, but he shook his head to clear his vision.  He needed to prevent a fight.

In the doorway to the back bedroom, he found Queen's fists balled into the collar of Bishop's shirt.  Bishop was shaking, trying to get away, to break the contact, all while growling from the back of his throat.  Knight pulled on Queen's arm, trying to get him to back off, and Queen continued to yell "You heard me say I liked this room, so you took it on purpose!"

"Don't...  Don't touch me..."  Bishop tried to pull away again.

"Get out of my room!"

" _Hey_!" Nikko shouted over the both of them.  In the quiet that followed, he asked "What is going _on_ between you two?"

Queen let go of Bishop's shirt and ran up to Nikko.  "Nikko!  You know I wanted this room, right!?  He took it on purpose!  He's selfish!"

"Bishop."  Nikko looked to the dog, who was clutching the room's door, almost cowering.  "Can't you take the other room?"

Bishop shook his head.

"Please?"

Hands tightening on the door, Bishop whispered.  "It-  It faces the street, and-  And the window...   People-  People could..."

So he wasn't just being selfish – Bishop would be left feeling exposed and vulnerable in a room that only kept the public away from him by a plane of glass.  Even if they covered the window with heavy curtains, the fear would be there.  Nikko understood that well.

He sighed for the umpteenth time in two days.  "Queen, let Bishop have this room."

"What!?  Why!?  That's not fair!"

"For his mental-"

Nikko stopped when his head began to swim again.  His vision faded, as did his hearing.  Sounds turned into a ringing in his ear.

"His mental... well... being..."

Then everything went black.

 

 

 

 

It was familiar, waking up in the hospital alone, though only just barely.  After seeing where he was, Nikko immediately closed his eyes again, wanting just a little more rest.  There were so many things he had to do, but if he could just rest a bit more...

"Nikko?"

Nikko's eyes popped open.  He turned his head to see Knight sitting in a chair next to the bed, eyes red, cheeks tearstained.  "Knight..."

Then Knight's lip trembled.  Fresh tears ran down his face.  "Nikko!"  He pounced forward, pressing his face into Nikko's chest.  "Nikko, I was so scared!  You suddenly fell down and wouldn't wake up!"

It was with great effort, but Nikko managed to lift a hand and rest it on Knight's head, feeling the thick horn under the velour of his cap.  "I'm sorry I scared you."

"And the doctor said you had exhaustion and there was no sugar in your blood and I know it's all my fault!  I'm so sorry, Nikko!"

Nikko rubbed Knight's head, soothing, though it was Nikko himself in a hospital bed.  "It's not your fault.  I should have taken better care of myself."

"I don't-"  Knight sniffled loudly.  "I don't know what I would do if something happened to Nikko."

The soothing pets continued, Nikko unable to respond.  Probably, the facility had protocol for if something happened to a teacher; probably, the students would be processed like returnees.  But Nikko didn't even want to think about that.  He wanted to be selfish – Knight was _his_ student; nobody else was allowed to teach him.

Eventually, when Knight had calmed down and Nikko had woken up more, Nikko asked "How did you get back here?"

Knight turned his head a bit to look up at Nikko, then looked away, guilt painting over his features.  After a moment, he lifted his head and leaned in close to Nikko's ear.  "I lied to them," he said quietly.  "I told them I was your nephew."  Then he pulled back.  "I'm sorry."

Nikko smiled.  "Don't be sorry.  Sometimes, humans have to lie."

"I'll never lie to Nikko, though."

"I'm happy to hear that," Nikko replied, reaching up to tug at a lock of Knight's hair.

They were silent a moment, staring at each other, memorizing every nuance of each other's features.  And then another tear fell from Knight's eye.  His brow crinkled.  "I'm sorry, Nikko."

"Stop saying that."

"But I am!  I didn't pack fast enough, and can't take care of Bishop and Queen properly.  I couldn't help Nikko buy a house.  I'm useless."

That hurt Nikko more than fainting ever could.  "No, Knight."  He took his lover's hand, squeezing with the bit of strength he could muster.  "You are doing the best you can.  It's not your job to take care of the others, but you work so hard to take care of _everyone_ , and I am _so_ proud of you."

Knight sniffled, hiccupped a ' _yiff_ ' before asking "Really?"

A blush covered Nikko's cheeks.  "Yeah."

"I'm glad," Knight replied, and then he threw his arms around Nikko.  They embraced, and then slowly they moved in for a kiss, lost in the moment, lost to their surroundings.  They let their mouths open, let their tongues touch.  Nikko felt more at-ease than he had in weeks.

Until the sound of a man clearing his throat sounded from behind them.

They jumped apart, Nikko's heart beating hard against his chest.  His eyes were wide and hot, terrified of what could happen to them now, but the man just smiled at them, saying "He's not really your nephew, is he?"

Nikko calmed himself as best he could.  The man was just a doctor, not anyone affiliated with the company.  The worst he could do was kick Knight out, and he didn't even look like he was interested in doing that.  "N-No, Sir," Nikko said.  "We're sorry, but..."

"Don't be sorry," the doctor said as he took the chart from the foot of Nikko's bed.  He went on like complete normal.  "Mr. Krakowski, I understand you've just moved into a new house?"

"Yes," Nikko answered.  "Just today."

"Congratulations."  The doctor aimed a smile at him.  "Your fainting spell was likely due to stress and exhaustion, but you're also quite underweight."

Nikko looked away.  "I've always been... scrawny."

"That's fine.  It would be good if you could get your weight up, but you're otherwise good to go."  The doctor signed Nikko's chart as he spoke.  "I'll have the nurse bring your things, and then you're free to leave."

"Thank you, Doctor."

"Just take it easy."

"I will."  He would try, at least, until the next dog versus fox feud began.

The doctor bid his farewell, and then far too much time later the nurse came with Nikko's clothes, leaving them so Nikko could change.  Knight tried to help, Nikko let him, and before too long they were standing outside in front of the hospital.

"Nikko," Knight said as his hand slipped into Nikko's.  "Do you want to go out to eat?"

"Just us?  That wouldn't really be fair to the others."

Knight shook his head.  "It's all right!  I already told them I would take you, and they said it's okay.  I...  We all want Nikko to eat good food and rest for a while."

Nikko smiled at his beloved fox.  "I'd really like to just get back and finish unpacking..."  But then Knight pouted, and Nikko relented.  "All right, we'll get something small and quick."

They had dinner at a family restaurant near the hospital, where Knight sat right next to Nikko, instead of on the other side of the booth, like he couldn't stand to be too far away from Nikko.  The fox chatted away while Nikko ate, clearly not needing the caffeinated coffee he drank, and kept his topics cheerful.  Nikko felt warm and happier than he had been in days, full of a real meal and Knight's voice.

When they finally got home – to their _new_ home – Knight opened the door for Nikko, then stepped back to let him go first.  Nikko smiled, his fox such a gentleman, and then passed through the entrance arch.

Then his jaw dropped in shock.

The house was...  It was perfect.  Everything had been unpacked and set up, not a box in sight, looking like a real _home_.  The photographs had been hung over the fireplace, Nikko's knick-knacks and doo-dads lined the mantle, the video games and system nestled comfortably under the TV.  It looked like they had been living there for years.

Queen was passed out on the couch, his upturned lips holding a smile.  On the floor, Bishop was in much the same state, exhausted after all the hard work they had endured.

Nikko turned to Knight, caught somewhere between misty-eyed and jumping for joy.  "You...  You guys..."

"We wanted to help Nikko," Knight smiled.

And Nikko leaned into Knight, wrapping arms around him, burying his face into Knight's chest.  Knight's arms fell over his shoulders like a blanket, warm and comforting.  "Thank you," Nikko whispered.

Knight just hummed, then chuckled.  "Welcome home, Nikko."


	43. J'adoube

 

 

 

It was nice having a room to himself again.  He could have peace and quiet when he wanted it, a place to escape from the strange, pink fox who had invaded Bishop's world.  The constant discomfort of always having someone _right there_ , watching him read, watching him sleep, watching him do his puzzles, was abated.  He had gained a freedom, being able to lock himself in his own room.

Bishop didn't dislike Queen but, to be fair, nobody ever really asked him if he would be okay with a new family member.  He understood why Nikko agreed to take Queen in, and he was glad that they could help the fox, but it was harder for Bishop to adjust to the additional presence than the others must have realized.  It didn't help that Queen wasn't going out of his way to make himself likable.

Queen had been left alone a lot by his previous family, so he was used to being able to go where he wanted and take what he wanted and have nobody around to see or care.  But that didn't work quite so well in a house with other animals in it, and Queen was quick to yell about things not being 'fair' when he didn't get his way.  He sounded like a teenage girl every time he said it.

Queen made demands, and Bishop wasn't used to that.  Queen demanded Bishop's food, and that made Bishop angry.  He needed food to live – Queen shouldn't try to take it from him.  Queen demanded Bishop give him the answers to his homework, and it irritated Bishop.  They were supposed to follow their own study charts – Queen shouldn't try to get Bishop in trouble by copying his homework.

And it seemed every time Bishop got engrossed in a game, Queen suddenly wanted to watch TV.

Bishop enjoyed role-playing games that had a puzzle element to them.  The stories were interesting, and they made him think quite a bit, either to solve a puzzle, combine items to make something, or figure out where to go next to move the story forward.  And they took time for him to complete, giving him something to look forward to for several days.

He had been playing one such game for days, at last so close to collecting the last few white leaves to make a batch of potions before heading to the final dungeon.  Queen sauntered into the living room, rubbing the sleep of his afternoon nap out of his eye as he plopped onto the couch.  It was silent at first, but the extra presence had Bishop on edge.  He scooted a bit further away from the couch.

"I want to watch TV," Queen declared.

Bishop ignored him.  He needed to find another white plant.

"You've been playing for hours."

"You were asleep," Bishop said quietly.

"Yeah, and you were playing before I laid down, so you've been on it all day.  Give someone else a chance."

That didn't even make any sense.  Bishop was playing a game, so Queen couldn't use the TV.  It was that simple, so Bishop didn't bother to respond.

The movement that sounded from behind him discomforted him, and Bishop started to turn to see what Queen was up to, but he was too slow in his reaction.  Queen took one of the couch cushions and shoved it into Bishop's lap, giving a few pushes against his groin before moving away quickly with a smirk on his lips.

Bishop gave a ' _woof_ ', an indignant sound of warning to tell Queen to leave him alone, but when his hand went to the cushion, it paused instead of pushing it away.

It had hit his genital, and Bishop was _so_ sensitive down there.  The jostling awakened something inside him, making Bishop go hard.  He let his game controller go, the little alchemist on screen halting his search for plants.  With both hands, Bishop rubbed the cushion against his groin, sending jolts through his body.

It felt good.  He wanted more – he wanted to mate.  His mind seemed to leave him as instinct took over, driving him to seek pleasure, driving him to get up on his knees, mounting the cushion and thrusting his hips against it.  His genital pressed and grinded into the cushion's plush body, stimulating his sensitive part.

He needed to mate; he needed to spread his seed; he needed to come.  He thrust faster, harder, feeling something within him tighten.  His mouth fell open, his short tongue hung out as he panted in pleasure, a dog in heat.  And then he came.  His arms went tense as his thrusting stilled, pressing against the cushion as he released streams of cum.

The world was blank – not even dark, just nothingness – for a stretched moment, and then Bishop's mind came back to him.  Like waking after a deep sleep, his consciousness cleared; his mind that was somewhere between human and canine started processing again, and he sat back on his haunches.

His pants were wet; he would need to change them.

Queen sat cross-legged on the couch, TV remote resting between his legs.  Some program was on, the game system turned off, and Bishop frowned.

He hadn't even been able to save his progress.

 

 

 

 

For a little while, Bishop withdrew.  He spent days keeping to himself in his room, working on his puzzles or reading his biology book.  He came out to eat and use the bathroom, or to check his study chart, but he didn't linger, especially if Queen was around.  He was angry.

Queen knew Bishop hated being touched, but touched him anyway.  If Nikko reprimanded him, then instead Queen would sit too close on purpose, getting into Bishop's space.  Or he would purposely stay in their bathroom too long so Bishop couldn't go.  Bishop almost made a mess of himself once because of it, until Nikko found him whimpering in front of the bathroom door and rushed him upstairs to use the other bathroom.

It was tiring.

Days passed before Bishop felt like working on his game again.  He waited until he heard Queen lie down for another nap, then went to the living room to turn on the system and begin re-doing all the progress he had lost.  His mood lightened when the batch of potions was finally completed.

Until Queen came in and took a spot on the couch.  "At it again?"

Bishop didn't respond.

"This game is so _boring_ ," Queen complained next.  "You should play the zombie one."

Bishop didn't respond to that either.  He wasn't playing the zombie game now.  He had already beaten the zombie game multiple times.  He wasn't playing to give Queen something interesting to watch.

"If I ask nicely to watch TV, would you let me?" Queen asked, and then a moment later he followed with "No, of course not.  Because you're a selfish mutt."

"I'm not a mutt," was all Bishop said.

Queen snorted.  "But you admit you're selfish?"

Bishop didn't see how quietly playing a game was selfish, so he didn't reply.  He was momentarily saved from Queen's commentary when Knight came down the stairs, and Bishop's tail began to sweep across the carpet.

"I'm going shopping to buy some stuff for dinner," Knight said, showing his pretty smile.  "Could Bishop set the table?"

Bishop nodded and immediately saved his game, moving to switch the system off as Knight called a greeting and slipped out the door.  When Bishop turned to head towards the dining room, he found Queen grinning at him.

"You're in love with him, aren't you?"  Queen's tail curled as he spoke.

Bishop looked away.  He didn't know why, but somehow he felt it was better if his feelings for Knight went unacknowledged.  Being with Nikko made Knight happy, and Bishop didn't want anything to get in the way of that.  He didn't want Knight to feel guilty or sad.  So he muttered out a simple "No."

"Yes, you are," Queen replied, grin broadening.  "I can tell from the way you always follow his orders so quickly and how your scent changes when you see him.  Does he know?"

Of course, Bishop hadn't told Knight.  He didn't think Nikko had either.  Knight didn't know, and though Bishop thought it should stay that way, he didn't say anything.  Instead, he just walked away.

Dinner turned out to be hamburgers, which pleased Bishop immensely.  Knight always made them extra thick – more so than any restaurant – and Bishop quickly scarfed two of them down, barely taking time to chew.  They were good, and he had another one down before anyone could comment.

When Bishop reached for the last hamburger, Queen began to complain, snapping "Hey!  That's mine!"

It wasn't Queen's.  It was on the center plate that anyone could take from.  Bishop took it first, so it was Bishop's.

"Nikko!" Queen shouted.  "He already had three and now he's taking the last one!  It's not fair!"

Nikko sighed, his own burger barely touched.  "Bishop, let Queen-"

Bishop shoved the hamburger into his mouth.

"You selfish, selfish dog!"  Queen jumped out of his chair, standing over Bishop, who continued chowing down.  "You did that on purpose!"

"Queen, it's okay," Nikko said.  "You know he likes his meat.  How about, you can have some extra cake for dessert?"

Instead of replying, Queen looked straight at Knight, pointing at Bishop as he said "He's in love with you, you know.  He wants to be your mate."  Then he stormed away from the table, his bedroom door slamming shut a second later.

Knight's eyes turned wide to Bishop, and even Nikko looked uncomfortable.  Bishop looked down, unable to meet either of their gazes, even as Knight asked "Bishop...  Is that true?"

Bishop's gaze remained fixed on his lap as he whispered "No."

"Bishop..."  Knight's voice and scent were already coloring with guilt.

"It doesn't matter," Bishop said carefully.  He wasn't good at speaking; wasn't good at expressing himself.  But he needed to...  He needed Knight to know that he didn't want anything to change between them.  "I'm very happy..."  He looked up then, feeling the rare sensation of expression pulling on his face.  "Because Knight is my big brother.  That's..."  Then he looked down again.  "That's enough."

A heartbeat later, Knight said in his lovely, cheerful voice "I'll always be Bishop's big brother."  And when Bishop glanced up, he found Knight smiling.

 

 

 

 

Bishop's one-year anniversary of coming to live with Knight and Nikko was celebrated much like a birthday.  The small family of four went out to eat at a restaurant together, and he was even given a gift.  The video game he received was a surgery simulator, where he could put all the biology he had been studying to the test.  He looked forward to playing it, even as he wondered if everything he had experienced in the past year was normal for humans.

He finally got the chance to play his new game a few days later.  His chores were done, his homework was done, and the rest of the household were off in their own rooms, doing their own things.  So he popped the game into the system, took up the controller, and settled into his favorite spot on the floor to begin a new adventure.

The game was interesting and challenging.  It took him a bit to figure out the controls and menus, but soon enough he was slicing open animated humans and saving fictional lives.  Sometimes it took all of his concentration; sometimes he had to focus so hard on making some tiny incision that he forgot the rest of the world, so when an angry scream suddenly came from Queen's room, it startled him.  His hand slipped, cutting open the patient's aorta, causing her to bleed out.  The words 'Mission Failed' faded onto the screen just as Queen came raging out, powder-blue sock in a tight fist.

"Where is my other sock, you mangy mutt!?" Queen yelled, waving the fuzzy sock in Bishop's face.  "I know you have it!"

Bishop's gaze dropped as he tried to back away, difficult from a sitting position.  "Don't...  Don't touch me..."

"You aren't supposed to touch my stuff!"  Then Queen grabbed the sleeve of Bishop's shirt, sending waves of panic through him.  "Give it back!"

Bishop's eyes clenched shut; his hand came up to bury into his hair, knocking his glasses askew in the process.  "Please..."

"Give it _back_!"

Then Nikko's voice barked across the house, yelling " _Hey_!" and making them both freeze.  Queen let go of Bishop's shirt and they both looked over to see Nikko glaring at them, frustration written across his face, Knight a concerned guardian right behind him.  "What is _wrong_ with you two?"

"Nikko!"  Queen ran over to their teacher, voice pleading.  "He took my other sock!  I know he did!  He did laundry, so it had to be him!  They're my favorite socks!"

"I'm sure it just got lost somewhere," Nikko replied.  "It happens.  We'll find it."  He looked up then.  "Right, Bishop?"

Bishop looked away, going still.

"Bishop?"

It wasn't like he could help it.  It was instinct, something primal.

"You didn't _actually_ take the sock, did you?  Bishop?"  Nikko prodded him, calmly demanding an answer Bishop didn't want to give.

"Give it back!" Queen yelled again, and Nikko stilled him with a quiet call of his name.

Bishop climbed to his feet and adjusted his glasses, keeping his gaze averted as he headed toward his room.

He couldn't help it.  His mind went blank when he did it, like when he was with his pillow.  It relieved boredom and stress, things he had been feeling quite a bit lately, hidden away in his room as he had been.

He retrieved the sock – what was left of it, anyway – and when he was back in the living room he slowly held up the tattered, powder-blue remains.

Queen screamed, snatching the torn material from Bishop's hand.  "I don't believe it!" he yelled, the playful lilt in his voice gone.  "You ate my sock!"

"Queen," Nikko said, a vain attempt at placating.  "Calm down."

"I'm-  I'm going to break your game!  I'll smash it!"

He whirled, moving towards the game console, but stopped in his tracks when Nikko belted out a warning " _Queen_!"

"I should be allowed to!" Queen said, turning back.  "He ate my sock, so I should be allowed to break something of his!"

"Nobody will be breaking anything."

Queen's hands balled into fists, face going red.  "You always take his side!"

That seemed to shock Nikko, his eyes going wide as his voice went quiet.  "I-  I don't..."

"You do!  You always let him have his way!  You let him eat all the food and he never has to share!  He can spend all day on the TV and he never has to let anyone else use it.  He purposely waits until I want to take a bath and then scratches at the door non-stop, claiming he has to use the bathroom.  If I ask him for help with my homework, he just ignores me, even though he knows math is really hard for me.  He's selfish and nobody cares!  He gets away with everything!"  Queen's lip began to quiver then, and in a final outburst, he threw the socks at Bishop's feet and yelled "I hate you!"  Then he ran to his room.

Bishop looked down, feeling his lips pulling into a frown.  He had never been hated before, and he didn't understand what he had done to earn Queen's wrath.

"Bishop," Nikko said quietly to get his attention.  "Go to your room and stay there until we come get you."

Bishop didn't understand, but he didn't question it.

 

 

 

 

He was uneasy, something he rarely felt at home.  This was his safe place, where no one would touch him and nothing could harm him.  But that safety had rippled, disturbing the usually calm surface of home.

He couldn't solve any of his puzzles.  He read his biology book, but none of the words stuck in his mind.  He mounted his pillow, but his body didn't do anything, uninterested.  In the end, he just laid curled up on his bed, waiting for whatever was to happen to happen.

Then his head picked up, just a bit, and his tongue came out to drag along his hand.  He didn't know why – there was no food there, it wasn't like it tasted good – but he did it again, then again.  He continued to lap at his hand, coating it with a sheen of saliva.  He didn't think about it – didn't think about anything, his mind completely blank – simply continued to lick the same spot repeatedly.

He only stopped when a light knock came to the door.  Staring at the door for a moment, he then uncurled and stood to answer it.  Knight stood there, looking concerned, making Bishop's heart flutter.

"Bishop," Knight said softly.  "Nikko says we need to have a family meeting."

Bishop nodded and followed Knight to the living room.

Nikko sat on the couch, gripping the knees of his pants as he waited.  Queen sat on the floor next to the coffee table, pointedly _not_ looking Bishop's way.  Knight took a seat next to Nikko and Bishop sat on the opposite side of the table from Queen.

After a moment, Nikko finally said "I've thought a lot about you two and your situation, and first of all, I'd like to say I'm sorry.  I've been so busy, I failed to notice how bad your relationship had gotten."

"I'm sorry too," Knight added, and then he looked down.  "I'm here with you guys all day, and I didn't know what was going on.  I'm... a bad big brother."

A stream of sadness and regret trickled through Bishop.  Whatever he had done was affecting Knight too.  He had to learn more; he had to figure out how to be a better human.

Nikko took Knight's hand.  "Well, I'm the teacher here, so it's my responsibility to raise you guys properly.  All three of you."  He pulled Knight's hand to his chest, a type of embrace.  "Though I'm sure sometimes I'm not so good at it.  And the truth is..."

Then Nikko gave a sad smile.

"Queen is right.  We do let Bishop get away with a lot.  Probably too much.  Up until now, Bishop has been..."  His cheeks went red; he glanced up at Knight, then his eyes quickly flitted away.  "... Kind of like our baby.  We've spoiled him, but that needs to change.  Our family is bigger now, so we need to establish some new rules, okay?"

Bishop nodded to show he understood, and he saw Queen do the same.

"All right," Nikko continued.  "First off, there will be a two-hour time limit for the TV, okay?"  His words were directed at Bishop.  "If you've been playing video games for more than two hours and somebody else wants to watch TV, you have to let them.  You understand?"

Bishop nodded again.

"You also have to share food, okay?  Everyone deserves a fair share.  Got it?"

This time, Bishop shook his head.

"For example, if there are four of us and eight hamburgers, how many do we each get?"

Bishop's head tilted.

"What is eight divided by four?"

"Two," Bishop answered.

"That's right.  So if there are eight hamburgers, we each get two.  After you have your two, if you want more you have to _ask_.  Okay?"  And at Bishop's nod, Nikko expanded his example.  "If we're having casserole, you get one-fourth of the dish, then you have to ask for more.  All right?"

Bishop nodded.  It was easy to understand that way.

"And one more thing.  Bishop, you've...  You've got to break some of your habits.  The chewing especially, and also..."  Nikko's face went another shade of red.  "Also your... pillow time.  At least in front of others.  That's... not something humans do, and you're old enough now that you should be able to break some of your dog habits.  Okay?"

Bishop looked down, but he nodded again.

Across the table, Queen snorted.

"And _Queen_ ," Nikko said next, turning to the pink fox.  "You pick on Bishop an awful lot, and that needs to stop.  Got it?  No name-calling, no throwing cushions at him, and do _not touch_ him.  Understand?"

Queen's ears went flat even as he said "Yeah, yeah."

"If you want to take a bath, that's fine, but tell Bishop beforehand so he can use the bathroom first.  And though Bishop will share food more, his steaks are still his.  As I told you before, they were a present to him, so he doesn't have to share those."

"But that's-!"

" _Queen_.  Even if you think it's selfish, that's how it is.  Okay?"

"Fine," Queen pouted.

"If you two can start getting along, Bishop may be more open to helping you with your homework, but you can only ask for _help_.  Don't just copy his answers; you'll never learn that way."

Queen's head drooped, and his next "Fine" was almost a whisper.

Then Nikko smiled.  "If you'd like, I'll take you up to the mall on Saturday and get you new fuzzy socks."

At that, Queen's head perked up.  "Really?"

"Yeah," Nikko said, smile brightening.  "Just the two of us.  What do you say?"

"Can I get a new outfit?"  Queen's tail began to curl.

"Let's just keep it at socks for now."  Then Nikko put a hand next to his mouth as if he were whispering, though his voice stayed the same volume.  "But I hear a new cake shop opened up there recently."  He winked.

Queen's lips curved up, tail going to and fro.  The playful lilt was back in his voice as he said "I guess I can fit you into my busy schedule."

"How gracious," Nikko replied.  Then he looked back and forth between Bishop and Queen, brows rising.  "So, are we okay?  Can everyone get along?"

"I'll try," Knight said gravely, and Nikko bopped him on the head.

Bishop nodded to show he understood and would comply.  A new family member meant a new way to live, so he would do so for Knight's sake, and for Nikko's sake.

He just hoped Queen wouldn't make doing so too incredibly difficult.


	44. Animal Games

 

 

 

He danced about them, just because he could.  He ran ahead, stopping to wait before taking off again, then stopping and waiting again.  He walked beside Knight, trying to match his long strides; he walked beside Nikko, taking the human's hand and swinging their arms together.  Sometimes he ran circles around them all, spinning, twirling, laughing.

Nikko raised a brow at him, though there was a smile on his lips.  "What are you doing?"

"I'm walking to the park with my family," Queen answered happily.

"You're prancing like an excited pony."

"I _am_ excited.  It's my first party!"

Nikko smiled again, then took another glance at his phone, fingering the map on the display.  "If we can find it.  This new place is so out of the way."

"New place?"  Queen blinked as he looked over Nikko's shoulder at the map.

"Yeah, the gatherings used to be at a different park, but...  For various reasons, they changed the venue."

Queen hummed, but he didn't really care.  He just wanted to meet new people.  The jerks he was living with before could never be bothered to take him anywhere, and he never got to meet or play with other students.  They wanted the status of having such an exotic pet, but didn't want to do the work they signed on to do.  As a result, he was behind in his studies because he never had anyone to ask for help, and he had almost zero interaction with others.

But Nikko helped him all the time, so he was studying properly with focus and direction, and Knight was so friendly, he always had someone to talk to if he wanted.  He had even been able to bribe Bishop into tutoring him, so his math homework was going more smoothly.  Queen had never before dared to dream he could have so much in his life, had never known he could fill the void inside himself with something other than clothes and accessories.

He finally had a real family – now he wanted to make friends.

"Ah, there it is," Nikko said as they neared the entrance to a large and very green park.  There was a sign that read 'Lt. Captain Morgan County Park' and a booth where an old man sat.  He waved them through, informing that there was no charge since they didn't have a vehicle, and then Nikko pulled up a different map on his phone.  "Okay, apparently we're in the lot in back."

They were met halfway there by a little, white furball who launched himself at Bishop, calling out the dog's name.  Though Bishop tried to get away, the kitten clung to his arm.  "P-Please don't touch me," Bishop said as he tried to get free.

"Jerry," Nikko said in gentle warning.  "You know Bishop doesn't like being touched."

"Aww, but I like touching Bishop," Jerry replied.  Queen was one part amused that the cat was brazen enough to keep both his arms wrapped around Bishop's, two parts annoyed that the whelp hadn't given _him_ any attention.

"Why is that?" Nikko asked curiously as he shooed Jerry away, only to have the kitten switch which arm he clung to.

"Because before Bishop came, I was the youngest, but now he is!" Jerry giggled.  "So I'm not the baby anymore!"  He hugged Bishop's arm tighter.  "And because Bishop is so pretty."

" _Jerry_ ," another voice said, grabbing attention.  Queen looked up to see a handsome, gray tabby approaching, and it made him very happy.  The other students were all so lovely; he couldn't wait to _play_ with them.

"Ben!" Jerry called.  "I found Bishop!"

"I see that," Ben replied.  "But Alice is looking for you.  I believe she has a present for you."

Jerry immediately released Bishop's arm.  "A present!?  Is it catnip!?"

Ben gave a knowing smile.  "Could be."

"I'll be right back!" Jerry called out.  "I'll bring some for Bishop!"  Then he scampered away.

"Sorry about that," Ben said, turning a smile to Bishop.  "I'll escort you to prevent further harassment."  He fell in step at Bishop's side, keeping a careful, considerate distance.

Queen's lip quirked up.  Seemed both the cats had their eyes on Bishop.

When the tabby's green eyes turned to him, however, Queen played innocent, fluttering his lashes.  "You must be new," Ben said, charming.

"Yes," Queen replied.  "I moved in with Nikko in January.  I'm Queen."

Ben flashed a smile, showing small, sharp teeth.  "Welcome."

Queen decided he was rooting for Ben to win the puppy bowl.

They saw more animals and people as they neared the party, Nikko waving at a few, Knight waving at everyone.  Jack was near the entrance, and they greeted him personally.  He seemed pleased at how well Queen was getting along, expressing his pleasure at seeing him there.  Queen was happy, surprising himself with how glad he was to have fallen into Jack's capable hands.

As they headed further in, Nikko seemed to be searching for something, while Knight was all smiles and waves and greetings.  Queen pranced to Knight's side, saying "You'll have to introduce me to all your friends."

"Yes!" Knight chirped, and then he began to look around.  "Umm...  Ah, the fennec over there-"  He pointed to a tiny girl with large ears who was dancing around the other students.  "That's Tina.  She's really nice and almost as fast as you!  Her teacher is Kent.  And that poodle over there is Tiffy, but she's not my friend.  She's kind of mean.  I think her teacher's name is Bitch Number Two."

"Knight!" Nikko admonished, face bright red.

"That's what Ginger said.  Is it wrong?"

"Yes.  Yes, it's wrong."

Knight's ears went flat.  "Sorry."  But then he perked back up right away.  "And this is Penny."

'Penny' was a gorgeous dog heading straight for them with a sultry smile on her face and the hottest pair of boots Queen had ever seen on her feet.  She smelled like she was ready to mate at any time, and the scent only strengthened when her eyes landed on Queen.  "Looks like you've brought something fresh," she said as she sauntered a circle around Queen.  "Is this one up for socializing?"

Queen looked at her through lowered lids.  "Socializing?"

"Want to romp?" she asked as she ran her hand through Queen's long hair.

"I might."  Queen returned the suggestive smile.

Another woman approached them, human, stylish, smiling.  "Nikko..." she said, voice laced with amusement.  "We need to have an intervention."

"This one wasn't my fault," Nikko replied.  He seemed more at-ease than he was when they first passed through the gate; this human woman must have been a friend.

"What, did you trip and accidentally sign another contract?"

"Well...  Yes."  Nikko gave a short laugh.  "It's kind of a long story.  I'll tell you once we're sitting."

The woman smiled and stuck her hand out to Queen, which he happily took, giving his best shake.  "I'm Ginger," she said.  "Welcome aboard."

"I'm Queen."

Ginger laughed, then said "We've pilfered some chairs over here" as she began leading the way.  Then her attention turned back to Nikko.  "Buck isn't here yet.  He said he was having a hard time getting Gus to leave the house when I called."

Queen could feel as well as smell the group's mood waver.  Something melancholy drifted between them.  Knight whimpered, "I hope he's okay."

"They're on their way now," Ginger replied with a smile.  "It'll be all right."

"I think it would be good for him to get out," Nikko added.

Queen had no idea what they were talking about, so he amused himself by reaching out and taking Penny's hand.  She seemed receptive, and he hadn't been with anyone since _that_ girl.  "I like your boots," he said.  "And your tail."

Penny's smile picked back up.  "Why, thank you.  I like your tail too.  I wonder if _all_ your hair is pink."

They had stopped by a couple of other human men who were in chairs, one of whom stood to welcome them.  The other stayed seated, only barely lifting a hand in greeting before he turned a raised brow to Queen.  That guy seemed gruff, and Queen didn't like the way he smiled – it looked fake.  So Queen ignored him, instead focusing on Penny.  "You'll have to find out on your own sometime," he grinned.

"I intend to," Penny said.  Before she could say more, however, a pair of thick arms wrapped around her, pulling her away, breaking the hold she had on Queen's hand.

Queen found himself under the intense glare of a big dog.  The dog kept his arms around Penny, holding her away from Queen's reach, and there was fire in his brown eyes.  A growl sounded deep in the back of his throat.

"Axle!"  Penny squirmed.  "Let me go!"

The dog only growled louder, glare still boring into Queen.

And Queen stepped down.  He couldn't take on this dog, and he wasn't going to get himself hurt trying.  He wasn't built for power; he was built for speed, and for sex.

So he took a few steps back, then turned and smiled at some of the other nearby students.  "It's my first party," he said, voice going loud for all to hear.  He seemed to have the animals' attention, while the humans chatted amongst themselves.  Perfect.  "I hope I can make lots of friends."  He walked by a few students who were watching him, reaching out to run a finger along a small dog-boy's cheek as he passed.  "I hope we can all have fun."  Next he approached a tall wolf-girl, leaning in close to her.  "I hope we can play."

The wolf-girl reached for him, but Queen danced away.  He saw Penny get pulled away by the other dog – Axle, or whatever his name was.  He led her away from the humans, to a soft spot of grass where he sat her in his lap, lifting up her skirt.  Penny was out of the running, but Queen smiled at the gathering of students whose attention he did have.

"Let's play a game," he said, nose overwhelmed with scents coming at him.  They wanted him – it pleased Queen.  This is what he was made for, after all.  "I'll run, and anyone who's interested can chase me.  Whoever catches me can have me."

"Are-  Are boys okay too?" the small dog asked in a meek voice.

"Of course," Queen answered.  "I like everyone."

"What if more than one of us catches you?" the wolf-girl asked.

A leer crossed Queen's lips.  "All the more fun."  When a couple of the wolf-girls grinned at each other, Queen laughed.  "Ready?  Here I go!"

He turned, then began to run, both hearing and smelling quite a few of the others begin to give chase.  He didn't go all out at first, keeping a tantalizing distance, letting them think they had a chance.  A couple foxes seemed to get too close, so Queen picked up speed, pumping his legs a bit harder.  It felt so good to move, to stretch his muscles and feel the wind in his hair.

A small pack of female wolves seemed to be trying some kind of formation, splitting up, each group running past in an attempt to surround him.  Queen was impressed with their unspoken teamwork, even as he laughed at the futility of it.  He sprinted faster, blowing through their incomplete enclosure, leaving them all in the dust.  He looked back and laughed over his shoulder at their surprised faces.

When he turned his eyes back forward, he saw a large arm stuck out in front of him.

Unable to stop or change direction in time, Queen ran right into the outstretched arm, which caught him around the waist and lifted him right off of his feet.  Queen squirmed a bit, but the hold on him was tight, and he quickly gave up, body going limp, hanging like a ragdoll.  It was a wolf who had him – he could tell from the scent – and a large one at that.  Likely an alpha.  His eyes traveled up the huge male that had him, and he appreciated every bit of what he saw.  The guy was _beautiful_ ; he was built like a tank; he was...

He was missing an arm.

The wolf looked down at him, red hair shining in the sun, golden eyes just as bright.  A fang peeked over his lip until he opened his mouth to ask "What are you doing?"

"Playing," Queen answered, batting his eyelashes.

"They were chasing you."

"And you saved me?"

The wolf looked up as though he were thinking very hard about it.

Instead of waiting for a reply, Queen went on to say "Well, it looks like I've been caught."

"By who?"

Queen blinked, incredulous.  The wolf was hot and _dumb_ – he was perfect.  So Queen slid a hand up the wolf's t-shirt, feeling along rock-hard abs.  "By you, silly.  That means you can have me."

"Have?"

"Yep."  His other hand came up to bury into the wolf's deep red tail.  "You can do _anything_ you want to me."  Then he gave the tail a tug.

The wolf dropped him, letting Queen fall hard to the ground on his hands and knees.  Queen picked his head up, ready to yell at the brainless brute, but then the wolf leaned over him, pressing his groin against Queen's ass.  His dick was huge, quickly hardening as he ground against Queen, and Queen pressed back against him in return.

A heavy hand landed on Queen's back, but then there was a pause in movement.  Queen looked up to see the pack of female wolves approaching slowly, but a snarl from the big male above him sent them scampering.  It made Queen feel claimed, made him feel _wanted_.  By the time the wolf's hand moved to yank his shorts down, Queen was already fully erect.

He had never been with another guy before – never been with anyone besides that girl – but the wolf seemed to know what he was doing, and Queen was more than happy to let him do it, helpfully curling his tail to the side, out of the way.  When his shorts were around his knees, the warm spring breeze caressing over his bare backside, the wolf grabbed Queen's ass cheek, spreading him, exposing him.  Queen shuddered.

Then the wolf leaned down and ran his tongue across Queen's entrance.  It was a shock, made Queen's breath catch in his throat, but as the wolf continued to lap at him, Queen found it felt very, very good.  A caress where he had never been caressed before, attention given to a place no one had ever seen before, and when the wolf pushed his tongue in, feasting on Queen's hole, he purred.

It felt so good.  Queen's cock jumped, pulsed, and he thought he might come just from being eaten out.  He thought he couldn't possibly feel better, and then the wolf pulled away.  Queen whimpered at the loss, wanting that hot mouth on him, all over him, again.

There was a prodding; he felt the tip of the wolf's large dick pressing against his entrance, pushing, pushing.  He was so big, for a moment Queen thought he wouldn't fit, but then the wolf growled and thrust forward, pushing the head of his erection in, and Queen screamed.  It hurt, being breached, and he panted, taking heaving breaths through the pain.

The wolf stopped moving, and after a moment, after Queen's breathing had calmed down, he asked "You okay?"

"Yeah," Queen answered slowly.  His hole was sore, but he was still hard, still wanted this.

"Do you... want me to stop?"

Queen's heart thudded.  That the wolf offered to stop for his sake instead of pounding away like an animal meant more to Queen than he could ever have imagined.  So he steeled himself, wiggled his hips, and said "No.  Don't stop."

A slight pause, and then the wolf began to move again.  He pushed in, not roughly, but with a bare hint of impatience or need.  Queen groaned at the invasion, his body stretching to accommodate the wolf's girth.  He felt like he was on fire, until something inside him was touched, making him see stars.  Queen cried out, the strangled sound quickly melting into a pleasured moan.  That felt too good.

When their hips were pressed flush against each other, the wolf's single hand brushed Queen's hair away, exposing his neck, then grabbed on to Queen's shoulder.  He drew back, length sliding along Queen's insides, and then slammed back in.  Then again, again, building up a rhythm that had Queen panting and moaning, the lewdest sounds coming from his mouth every time that spot was touched.  There was a no more pain, body adjusted, accepting this powerful wolf.  Only pleasure remained, and it was driving Queen out of his mind.

As the thrusts became harder, Queen felt... something.  A ridge; a bump.  Something began to catch at his ring of muscle, eventually pushing inside him and keeping the wolf's hips locked to his.  The wolf continued to press against him as Queen gasped out "You-!  You have a knot!"

The wolf gave a push hard enough to almost knock Queen over.  His hand on Queen's shoulder tightened to a bruising grip, and the knot buried in Queen's ass grew several sizes larger as the wolf came, growling out his orgasm.  The knot pressed and pressed on that spot inside Queen, rubbing against it with every minute movement the wolf made, a massage unlike any other that had Queen crying out in pleasure.  He could die from that much pleasure, and when the wolf pressed against him again, Queen moaned loud.  He came hard into the grass, his seed shooting thick from his untouched erection.

The wolf collapsed against him, spent, and Queen didn't stand a chance of holding up his weight.  They hit the ground together, bodies still locked where the knot stuck in Queen's ass.  Their breaths came hot and heavy, panting like animals.  Yet, Queen couldn't remember the last time he felt so good; maybe he never had.

When Queen finally had his breath and wits about him, he asked "So, what's your name?"

"Gus," the wolf answered, voice gone rough.

Queen smiled.  "That's an awfully cute name."

Gus's hips began to sway slightly, tail wagging.  It made the knot still lodged against that spot inside Queen rock, causing Queen to gasp.  The wolf didn't seem to notice as he said "Thanks.  I picked it myself."

"Please-  Please stop moving!" Queen gasped out.  His body had become too sensitive; the small movements bordered on painful.  Thankfully, Gus got his tail under control, lightening the torture, and even adjusted his body to distribute his weight better, easing the burden on Queen.  "Thanks," Queen said, breathing slightly easier.  Then he smiled.  "I'm Queen, by the way."

"You're new?"

"Yeah."

There was a pause, and then Gus said "Oh, well...  Welcome."

That made Queen laugh out loud.  He had gotten _quite_ the warm welcome.  But then they fell silent, patiently waiting for the knot to go down and free them.  Gus held his upper body up on his lone forearm, putting his face close to Queen's ears, warm breath gently puffing across them.  He felt warm and oddly safe with this large beast laying over him.

"So, what happened to your arm?" Queen asked at last.

"Leopard," Gus answered simply, as if that single word explained everything.

"How long does this usually take?"

Gus's large shoulders shrugged.  "Twenty minutes?"

Another spat of silence fell, longer this time, and then Queen asked "If I had told you to stop, would you really have?"

It was quiet for a long time; long enough that Queen eventually looked over his shoulder at the wolf.  Gus's golden eyes held sadness, an internal pain and loathing that struck Queen speechless.  Then finally, Gus said "I messed up once.  I didn't stop, or... couldn't stop myself, and I hurt someone I care about a lot."

"Oh..."  Queen didn't know what else to say.

Gus lowered his head, inhaling deeply at Queen's neck, taking in his scent.

"You smell like him."

 

 

 

 

The rest of the picnic was big fun.  Once Queen got a good fuck out of him, he ran and laughed and played animal games with all of the other students.  He made friends with almost everyone, and his happiness overflowed.

And the whole time, he kept one eye on the funny and gorgeous Gus.  Gus, who turned out to be Knight's best friend.  Gus, who could pin down any of the others with his one arm, who laughed the whole time, except the time when he didn't, angry that he couldn’t tie his shoes himself when he had to put them back on at the end of the day.  Gus was open and honest, incapable of being purposely cruel or lying to save his own skin.

Queen liked Gus; he hoped to see more of him.

After they had bid their farewells and began the trek back home, Queen latched on to Knight's arm, giving the cutest bat of his eyelashes.  "Tell me everything you know about Gus."


	45. Holding Back

 

 

 

Nikko rubbed the bump throbbing at the back of his head.  It didn't hurt, per se – not physically – but gave the impending sense of having done something wrong.  His hands shook more out of shock than anything, and it had taken a few deep breaths to get himself under control.

He had been punched by a student at his school.

It was a sucker-punch, right to the back of his head.  Nikko hadn't seen it coming, and the kid ran off before he could stop him, but not before Nikko got a look at who had hit him.  It was the bully who had been picking on his student, Benjamin, taking revenge for Nikko having the kid's mother called.  Seemed he figured he would get away with it since it was the last day of school, and he was right.  His mother was called again, screaming coming from the speaker-phone that rested between Nikko and Principal Johnson, but otherwise nothing was done.  Even if a punishment could have been carried out after summer vacation, the boy would be moving up to junior high school, and even Nikko agreed it would be ridiculous to pursue it to a whole new school.  All he could do was sit quietly while Rita suggested to the mother that she seek some kind of counseling for her wayward son, and then assure his colleague he was alright.

Besides, once he stepped outside the school, he was free for the rest of the summer, and he couldn't wait to get home and cuddle up with his fox and spend the next two days sleeping.

He got home and called out a greeting, but was surprised to find no Knight to greet him.  Or, he thought Knight was missing, until he looked down.

Knight was there, sitting on his haunches, which was something he never did.  It was an animal way of sitting that Knight had unlearned before Nikko even met him.  Usually, Knight sat like a human; even if he sat on the ground, he sat cross-legged or with his long legs spread out in front of him.  But this pose wasn't human at all.

"Hello, Knight," Nikko said cautiously.

" _Yiff_!"

Nikko's eyes went wide, the throbbing in his head forgotten.  Knight rarely made that sound anymore, and never did it on purpose.  Something wasn't right here.  "Knight...  Are you okay?"

Knight's ears flattened.  He gave a ' _yiff_ ' like a sigh, but then his body seized up and he began to cough.  His head went down; his whole body wracked with the hacking and wheezing, his very lungs sounding dry and coarse.  Nikko crouched down, throwing an arm around him, heart clenching painfully.  "Knight!"

"He's been like that since this morning," Queen said as he wandered into the living room.  "I think he's sick."

"Would being sick make him more... foxy?"

Queen only shrugged.

It took some pulling, but Nikko was able to get Knight to his feet and lead him up the stairs to their bedroom, helping him climb onto the bed.  Almost immediately, Knight curled into a ball, covering his face with his tail.  As odd as the behavior was, it was also rather cute, and Nikko ran a hand over Knight's ears a few times before digging his phone out of his bag.

He called Jack, receiving a tired yet professional greeting from the rabbit, and explained what seemed to be going on with Knight.

"It sounds like he has a cold," Jack said.  "Unusual for him."

"Do...  Do the students go back to being animals when they're sick?" Nikko asked.

"Many do," came the answer.  "It can be very taxing to overcome animal instincts, and when they're sick it's too much to heal and maintain humanity at the same time.  Some regress completely, though of course their bodies won't change.  Knight has never been sick before, so we had no idea how it would affect him."

That dreadful sense of having messed up returned a thousand times over.  He wondered what made Knight sick _now_ , what had he done to cause it.  "I-  I'm sorry..." he stammered.

There was a puff of amusement in Jack's voice.  "You needn't be sorry.  Several other students had colds at the picnic last week, so he likely just caught a bug from them."

Nikko barely felt better.  "What should I do for him?"

"Treat it as you would any other cold.  Give him fluids and rest and keep him warm.  It may be a good idea to keep the others away until his symptoms clear up, and take care of yourself as well."

"Oh..."  That made sense.  "All right, I'll do that."

"If he gets worse, you can bring him in, of course."

Nikko thanked him and hung up, then looked back to his resting fox.  This wasn't exactly how he planned on starting his summer vacation, but at least it wasn't worse.

Nikko picked up Knight's head and looked into his warm, yellow eyes.  There was recognition in there, at least.  And despite the warnings, Nikko leaned in and kissed his beloved Knight on the lips.

He was rewarded with a lick on his cheek.

Nikko chuckled as he eased Knight's head back to its prior resting position, but a murmur of sadness wound through him.  As cute as it was, Nikko hoped _his_ Knight came back soon.  He wanted to talk to Knight about their plans for the summer, about his day, about the universe and life and everything.  He wanted to feel Knight's arms around him and see him smile and hear him laugh.

Knight began to cough again, a raspy hacking that pulled from his lungs.  Nikko felt so bad for him.  He rubbed Knight's back until the fit stopped, and when the fox settled back down to rest, Nikko's hand moved to rub at a soft ear.  A high-pitched coo came from Knight and his yellow eyes looked up at Nikko.

"Stay here and rest," Nikko said, mustering a smile for his ailing fox.  "I'll get you some water."

Knight simply closed his eyes, and Nikko got up to head downstairs.

He found Queen in the living room, watching a TV program while simultaneously sewing something.  The pink fox was crafty when it came to fashion, so it wasn't exactly new to find him altering something to make it 'cooler' or 'sexier'.  There was enough material at present, though, that Queen may have been working on a dress.

"Queen, are you busy?" Nikko asked to get his attention.

"I'm making a shirt for Gus," Queen answered, not coy in the least about his crush.  "It'll show off his chest."  The way his tail wagged made it very apparent he was picturing it in his mind.

"I see...  Well, do you think you could take care of dinner tonight?  I mean...  If you don't want to, it's okay, but...  I'd like to stay with Knight."

Queen finally looked up at Nikko, watching him for a moment before saying "Sure, I can make something."

"Thank yo-"

"But what do I get out of it?"

Figured.  "You'll get fed," Nikko said, though he didn't miss the playful glint in Queen's eye.

"You have to feed me either way; it's in your contract."

Nikko put his hands on his hips.  "All right, brat.  What do you want?"

"Take me to see Gus."

"Oh..."  That was easy.  "Yeah, I can do that."

Queen's lips curled up.  "Great!  Then I can give him his shirt."

"I'm sure he'll love it."

"Of course he will."  Then Queen put his sewing aside and climbed to his feet.  "What should I make?"

Nikko turned to head to the kitchen as he answered "Whatever you'd like.  Whatever you're capable of."  He pulled a glass from the cupboard, hearing Queen come up behind him as he filled the glass with water from the tap.  "If you need any help, just ask."  When he turned around, he saw Queen holding up a bowl.

"If _you_ need any help, just ask."

Nikko stared at the bowl a moment, then reached up and took it.  "Thanks."

Knight was still curled in his ball of comfort when Nikko returned to their bedroom, his breathing coming loud, wheezing.  His ears swiveled towards Nikko's light footsteps, and then his head picked up, watching Nikko move through the room.

"I brought you some water," Nikko said softly.  He didn't even know if Knight could understand him like this.  "You should drink."  He held the glass up to Knight, who only looked at it.

With a sigh, Nikko poured the water into the bowl and set it in front of Knight on the bed.  Knight sniffed at it, then began to lap at the water, tongue flicking out to pull up as much as he could.  His human mouth wasn't nearly as efficient as an animal's would be, and his lack of a muzzle made his nose dip into the water, but he continued to drink until it was mostly gone.  Then he whined, and then laid his head down again.

Nikko moved the bowl to the nightstand, then, after a moment of silently watching Knight wheeze rhythmic breaths, crawled up onto the bed.  He would take some zinc supplements and chug some orange juice tomorrow, but he didn't want Knight left alone – he didn't want to be separated from Knight.

Knight moved, shuffling to change position.  He curled against Nikko's side, tucking his face into Nikko's waist.  He coughed a few more times, and when he settled back down, Nikko moved a hand to Knight's ears, petting and soothing.

He could hear the TV still on in the living room and Queen puttering around in the kitchen.  Those small sounds were a comfort, domestic, and Nikko felt like he could forget everything for a while.  He could forget about work and overly violent fifth-graders and concentrate on nursing Knight back to his strong, _human_ self.  He could rest for a bit, reminding himself there was nothing to take care of for the next several weeks, and he let Knight's audible breaths and occasional coos lull him.

Knight sneezed, and Nikko had barely thought that he would have to get this suit cleaned before he drifted softly off to sleep.

 

 

 

 

He woke to Knight whimpering, and it frightened him.

Immediately, Nikko pulled Knight out of his ball, trying to see all of him, assessing him.  "Knight!  Knight, are you okay!?"  His hand went to Knight's forehead, checking for a fever, finding him only a bit warm.  "What's wrong?"

Knight gave a weak ' _yiff_ ' in between his whimpers.  His legs pressed together, squirming.

"Do you need to use the bathroom?"  When Knight only continued to whimper, Nikko put his hands under Knight's arms, trying to lift him, a completely useless endeavor.  "Come on, I'll help you."

When Knight was up on his knees, Nikko saw what the real problem was.

Knight was hard.  His erection pressed against his shorts, tenting the crotch, straining.  A small wet spot darkened the fabric, and Nikko had to wonder just how long Knight had been in this state.

"Knight..." Nikko started.  "Do you want-  No, we can't when you're sick."  He let Knight go and moved away, but then Knight pounced, landing on top of Nikko.  Knight's nose pressed to Nikko's neck, taking in his scent, _yiff_ ing, coughing, whimpering.  And Nikko could only guess that Knight must have still recognized him as his mate, still wanted him, which was both nice and difficult at the moment.

"Knight, no-"  He cut off when Knight began licking his face, making him laugh, reminding Nikko that foxes were canids, after all.  Then when Knight's hips pressed down against him, he gasped.

It was wrong.  He couldn't take advantage of Knight in this state.  He couldn't.  But Knight was still his Knight, still the love of his life, and Nikko's body responded accordingly.  He grew hard from the rubbing and the licking and the sound of Knight's voice in his ears.  His body grew hot – overly so – and he took Knight's head into his hands to hold him still for a moment.

Knight's eyes were puffy; his mouth was in a little frown as he whimpered, but Nikko could feel his tail beating against his leg.

"You poor thing," Nikko said, then pulled Knight to him for a half-successful kiss.

Then Knight pulled away.  His hands pawed at Nikko's shirt, seeming to know he wanted it off but not know how buttons functioned.  His flailing caught Nikko's tie a few times, tightening it like a noose, and Nikko pushed him back.

"Okay," Nikko said as he began to pull off his jacket.  "Okay...  We can do a little bit.  Just...  Just a little fooling around."  He was burning up.  "But then you have to go back to sleep, all right?"

" _Yiff_!"

Nikko removed his tie and shirt, pulled the undershirt over his head.  The room was warm, his body warmer, and he had barely dropped his clothes off the side of the bed before Knight was on him again, licking all over his neck, chest, and stomach.

"Knight!"  Nikko twitched when Knight hit a ticklish spot, though his cock grew harder at the same time.  He loved feeling Knight's tongue on him, sliding over his skin, lapping at his nipples, tasting every bit of him.  He wanted to taste Knight as well, but it was hard to figure out what Knight wanted in this state.  Usually, Knight was so honest with what he wanted – 'I want to taste Nikko', he would say, or 'I want to sex Nikko', so cute even when being so blatantly carnal – but now that he couldn't, Nikko was left guessing, and he didn't want to guess wrong and hurt or scare Knight.  It was a stark reminder of how important communication was.

What Knight could communicate was just how much he wanted Nikko's pants off.  His hands tugged at the waist, seeming to have forgotten how buttons and zippers worked.  And though it was with hesitation, Nikko eventually helped, undoing his fly, letting Knight have his way.  Knight immediately had Nikko's pants down to mid-thigh and pressed his nose to Nikko's groin, sniffing and licking the fabric of his trunks.  They had been here before, with Knight not understanding what he wanted but still desperate for Nikko's body, wanton from the scent of Nikko's arousal.

But it was different this time.  They were lovers now, had been together, explored and tasted each other countless times over.  This didn't have to be any different, and Knight clearly wanted it bad.

It shocked Nikko to a moment of stillness when Knight suddenly moved away, left cold in the warm room.  Knight's squirming and panting got his attention, though, and he looked to see Knight had turned around, planted his shoulders to the bed, and stuck his ass up in the air.

"Knight?" Nikko said, confused or disbelieving what he thought Knight was trying to tell him.

Knight looked back over his shoulder, whimpering, needy.

"Do you... want to do it like this?"  They had brought it up once before, the idea of Nikko topping, but they didn't do it then and it hadn't been mentioned again since.  Nikko assumed Knight forgot, and he was too nervous to bring it up himself.  Perhaps Knight wanted it more than Nikko gave him credit for.

Knight wagged his tail, his whole ass waving back and forth.

Nikko's erection surged, pulling his mind with it.  He had said just a little fooling around, but even without words it was so clear what Knight wanted.  The whimpering and whining and panting told him loud and clear that he wouldn't be taking advantage of Knight – that their desire was mutual.  So maybe...  Maybe it was okay.

"Needy fox," Nikko said, then he pushed his pants all the way off, his underwear following after.

Knight continued to whimper and wag his ass, until Nikko grabbed him by the hips.  Knight gave a coo, seemingly pleased and excited, and Nikko focused on that sound as he reached around Knight's waist to undo his shorts before sliding them off his hips.  Knight didn't even have the presence of mind to lift his legs to get the cloth free, so Nikko just left them pooled at Knight's knees.

He was presented with a view of Knight he hadn't seen before, the fox's smooth, bare ass – perfect and round – waiting for his touch, yet still unintentionally coy with his tail hanging low.  And though nervousness and a lingering feeling of this being _wrong_ coursed through Nikko, he slowly reached up to push Knight's tail out of the way.

Clean and completely human, Knight's hole seemed to quiver, inviting.  His erection hung heavy and needy between his legs, begging to be touched, sucked, mated.

"God, Knight," Nikko said with a moan before he leaned in to kiss Knight's hip.  "Why did you have to be so hot?"

Knight made a noise somewhere between a whimper and a coo, and it made Nikko pause.  He still wasn't sure about this.  Maybe it wasn't okay.

"Can you even understand me right now?"

Knight just whimpered loud and shook his ass more.  If nothing else, he definitely really, really wanted this.  So Nikko moved to the nightstand to retrieve a bottle of lubricant, returning quickly to quiet Knight's whimpering.

"Okay, okay," Nikko soothed.  He ran a hand over Knight's rump, nerves alight.  "Let me get you ready."

He squeezed some of the gel onto Knight's ass directly, then slicked up his own fingers.  Carefully, he spread the lubricant over Knight's hole, making it wet.  Then slowly, slowly, he pushed a finger in.

Knight whimpered, and Nikko immediately froze.

"Knight?  Are you alright?"

The only response was more whimpering and ass shaking.

"Knight..."  Then Nikko sighed, defeated.  He pulled his hand away and sat back on his knees.  "I can't do this," he said.  "Not when I don't know if you even understand this right now.  Not when you're like this."  Not when Knight was more animal than human.

Knight continued to whimper; his butt continued to wag.

"Put that away," Nikko said, and then he pushed Knight's hip, knocking the fox over so that he was lying on his side.  Knight pouted, and Nikko laughed.  "I'm sorry.  But..."  Then his smile faded.  "Well, you need to rest right now anyway."

Before he could say any more, Knight was on him, knocking him back, crawling over him.  Like before, the olden days of last year, Knight went down on Nikko, licking and sucking him, deriving pleasure from getting Nikko off.  And Nikko let it happen, a compromise, letting Knight have at least a little of what he wanted without being an active participant in an animal's debauchery.

He came with a strangled gasp while Knight drank him down, and when they were finished Knight moved to curl up at his side, sticking his face in Nikko's underarm.  Nikko was still panting when Knight gave a small coo, then started deep breaths of slumber.

Nikko panted a few more seconds, then got his breathing under control.  He was glad Knight was satisfied and able to sleep, but Nikko himself was wide awake now and getting hungry.  So carefully, he moved to get up, wondering what Queen had managed to make for dinner.

Knight whimpered; Nikko went still.  Knight buried his face deeper into Nikko's underarm, until his horns were pressed right into Nikko's shoulder, and sighed.  Nikko settled back down – maybe he wouldn't be eating today, unless Knight fell more soundly asleep or moved away on his own.  He didn't want to disturb him when it was so important for the fox to rest.

His hand reached over to pet Knight's hair, receiving a sleepy purr.

At least it was cozy.

 

 

 

 

He woke up wet.  Knight had drooled all over in his sleep, mouth hanging open, unable to breathe properly.  His nose must have been running as well; dried snot smeared across his cheek.  Sexy.

But at least Knight had rolled over in his sleep, freeing Nikko, who slipped out of bed, threw on some clothes, and headed to the bathroom.  He came back with a damp washcloth and proceeded to wash Knight's face gently, a smile pulling at his lips the whole time.  His smile turned up when Knight's eyes cracked open to look at him.

"Good morning, Knight."

" _Yiff_..."

"Still sick, huh?"  Nikko ran the washcloth over Knight's face a few more loving strokes, then said "I'll get you some soup and water, okay?"

He didn't get a response and didn't really expect one, but just as he got to the entrance of their room, he heard a feint "Nikko..."

He turned around.  "Knight?"

"Nikko..."

Rushing back to the bed, Nikko sat beside where Knight lay.  "Are you alright?"

"Nikko...  _Yiff_..."

Nikko ran a hand through Knight's hair.  His heart tugged.  Even unable to speak or think in any human way, Knight could still say his name.  It made Nikko want to kiss Knight all over, drag him to a chapel, hold a press conference to inform the world how much he loved his fox.

Instead, Nikko pet Knight's ears one last time, then headed downstairs.

He found Queen and Bishop both sitting at the dining table, a huge stack of bacon between them.  Bishop continued to devour piece after piece, but Queen stopped to smile and say "I made breakfast too.  Now you have to take me to see Gus two times."

Nikko's brows rose, amused, as he began preparing some chicken soup for Knight.  "Are you even sure he's interested in you?"

"Of course he is!  He's my mate."

" _Really_?"

"Well..."  Queen's voice lowered, and Nikko turned to see him looking down.  Perhaps he shouldn't have put it like that, but Queen managed to recover with "Well, he _will_ be."

Nikko gave a smile.  "For sure, once he gets to know you."

Queen seemed pleased by that, and reached for another piece of bacon, only to have it disappear into Bishop's mouth before he could grab it.  "Hey!  That was mine!"

Bishop's eyes went wide, and then he took a piece from the still-substantial pile and, with his head lowered, placed it in front of Queen.

Nikko chuckled, heart warm, and he resumed making healing chicken soup with a smile stuck on his face.

He spent the day checking on Knight and bringing him food and water or juice, but for the most part left him to rest.  He helped Knight use the bathroom once, which was beyond embarrassing, though necessary, and it was all very strange.  Knight came to him already knowing most of the human-worldly things, so much older than a student normally would be.  Nikko had never had to worry about Knight so much.

He made dinner for Queen and Bishop in the evening, glad to be on vacation during this trial, and it was so much quieter than usual without Knight's chatter, though Queen did take up quite a bit of the slack.

It was when he was cleaning up after dessert, alone in the kitchen, running their cake-smeared plates under a stream of hot water, that Nikko finally heard the creak of stairs and whispered "Nikko...?" that he hadn't even realized he was so anxious for.

He rushed to the stairs, finding Knight standing there, looking unstable on his feet.  Knight was still nude from the waist-down – partially from the night before and partially because it made helping him in the bathroom easier – but Nikko didn't worry about it at the moment.  He went to Knight's side and slung an arm around his waist for support and stabilizing, though he knew if Knight couldn't stay up there would be nothing he could do.  "Are you okay, Knight?"

" _Yi_ -  H-Hungry..."

Nikko smiled as he helped Knight down the stairs and into the dining area.  "We have some leftover Hamburger Helper; I'll heat some up for you.  Ah, but first I'll get you some pants."

"Nikko, hungry."

"Yes, yes."

"Nikko-  _Yiff_.  Nikko, love."

Nikko paused.  His heart thudded.  Then he stepped close to Knight and leaned in to kiss him gently on the lips, and Knight responded, kissing back.  It was a clear and sweet sign that Knight was well on the road to recovery.

They parted, Knight _yiff_ ed, and Nikko smiled.

Fox or not, Knight was Knight, and Nikko loved him either way.


	46. Come On Out, part one

 

 

 

He had to do a double-take, but it was, in fact, Ginger he saw struggling with the door to a car he didn't recognize.  Not that Nikko had all of Ginger's vehicles memorized, exactly, but he had known her long enough to know she drove a small, red, compact car in the winter, and used her Harley Sportster almost exclusively in the summer.  The white sedan she was fighting with must have been borrowed, far too run-down to be a rental.

As her dear friend, it was Nikko's duty to harass her about her present difficulty getting into the car.  But first he had to hide the stockpile of lube he had purchased deep in the bowels of his shoulder bag.

He approached her from the side, calling out "Don't you know how to use a car door?"

Ginger's head snapped toward him, a world of fury blazing in her blue eyes.  The glare she gave him was so _hot_ , it stopped Nikko in his tracks.  "Yeah, I _do_ ," she spat, then yanked the door handle hard enough to unstick it at last.  Without another word or look, she slid into the car, slammed the door shut, and sped away.

Nikko felt awful as he slunk back home.  It was just his luck – he was the target of other people's ribbing all the time, but one of the rare instances of him trying to give back and he picked the worst time.  Ginger was clearly already frustrated and something must have been going on for her to be driving such a beat up car instead of her bike.  He should have considered the signs before trying to be clever.

He sighed as he let himself into the house, brightening only when Knight came to greet him, fox-print apron stained with olive oil and tomato seeds.  "Welcome home, Nikko."

"I got the spaghetti sauce and parmesan."  Nikko held up the plastic bag still in his hand.  "And... some other stuff."  He would get out the other bag later.

"Thank you, Nikko!"  Knight took the bag from him, adorable as ever with his tail swishing behind him as he headed back for the kitchen.  "Dinner will be ready soon!"

And Nikko smiled.

He didn't think about Ginger again until later, when he was lounging on the couch with Knight curled up on his lap.  He thought he should apologize, as awkward as it would be, but he couldn’t bring himself to call.  He took the cheater way, sending a text message that read ' _I'm sorry about before._ '

' _Before?_ ' came the reply.  ' _What happened before?_ '

' _What I said outside Corona Drugs.  I was trying to be funny, but it was pretty rude._ '

A moment later, she wrote back.  ' _I don't know what you're talking about._ '

She was playing dumb, doubtlessly in order to put Nikko at ease by pretending it didn't happen.  It was nice, he supposed.  He sent back a winking emoticon.

' _Nikko, you're crazy_ ,' she wrote, and he left it at that.

 

 

 

 

When he next saw Ginger, it was while grocery shopping, which was odd, considering she didn't live anywhere near their new regular supermarket.  But there she was, checking out some eggs in a carton while Nikko had separated from his family to grab a loaf of wheat bread.

He decided to do _nice_ teasing this time, to make up for last time.

"You know, beautiful ladies shouldn't wander around alone," he said from behind her.  "It's dangerous."

The glare turned on him this time was just as deadly as before – perhaps more so.  She looked like she wanted to tear his face off.  "You think I need a _man_ to protect me?  Go to Hell, you misogynistic piece of shit."

Nikko's eyes went wide; he had messed up again, somehow.  "N-No...  I was just...  I-I'm sorry..."

Ginger huffed, threw the eggs in her cart, and stormed off, leaving Nikko staring after her, filled to the brim with self-loathing.  No wonder he went so long without any friends.

He plodded back to their cart, dropping the bread in and prompting Knight to ask "Is Nikko okay?"

"Yeah, just...  I saw Ginger over there and went to tease her, but I think I upset her."

"Ginger's here?"  And at Nikko's nod, Knight said "I'll go find her and say hi and tell her Nikko is sorry!"

"That's oka-"

Knight bounded off before Nikko could stop him.  Taking control of their cart, Nikko began to slowly continue down the aisle, different ideas of how to repent floating through his mind until Queen bounced up with the cereal he had been sent to fetch and a package of cupcakes.

"Can we get these?" Queen asked, holding the plastic six-pack a bit too close to Nikko's face.  "Please?  I'll let you have one."

"Queen, we didn't budget for extra snacks this week."

"Pleeeeease!?  I need them!"

Nikko sighed, not in the mood to argue.  "Fine."

Queen laughed triumphantly just as Knight returned, looking curious as he said "Nikko, I didn't find Ginger."

"Oh...  She must have left."  He would text her again later, or actually call her this time.  "Are we finished here?"

"Yes!" Knight answered.  "We have everything on our list."

"Where's Bishop?"

"I don't know."

Nikko held back another sigh.  Hopefully the dog wasn't off humping something.  "Could you go find him?  Queen and I will start checking out."

"Okay!"

At least Knight's constant exuberance could always make him smile.

The rest of the evening was spent considering what to do to apologize and promise never to attempt friendly teasing again.  In the end, Nikko decided to go see Ginger in person.  He tried calling – he really, really tried – but every time he picked up his phone he was hit with such anxiety, his hands trembled.  Calling people was terrifying, to be avoided at all costs unless absolutely necessary.

Somehow, visiting people in person was an easier pill to swallow.

So, the following day he took up the two remaining cupcakes and, with his herd of students, went to Ginger's place.

He caught Ginger outside her building, just in time, as she was about to leave.  "Hey!" he called out to get her attention before he missed his chance to talk to her.

"Nikko..." Knight started.  "That's not..."

"Just a sec," Nikko said, and then he rushed to catch up with Ginger.  "Hey," he said again as he closed in on her.  "I'm really sorr-"

"Are you following me, you creepy, little twink!?"  Her voice and glare were cutting, sharp as blue steel.  "I should call the police!"

"N-No..."  Nikko shrank back.  "I just came to apologize..."  His voice grew even smaller.

"How did you know I would be here!?  Are you a stalker!?"

"No, I-  I just..."

"Nikko!"  Knight took Nikko's arm as he came up, stabilizing him.  "Nikko, that's not Ginger."

 

 

 

 

Ginger laughed.

And laughed, and laughed, and laughed.

They really were identical, right down to their bright blue eyes and pixie haircut.  Nikko couldn't tell Ginger apart from her twin sister until they were sitting right next to each other.  Their completely opposite dispositions were the only marker of who was who.

Ale was, by far, the grumpier twin.  Now that the misunderstanding was clear, she seemed ashamed for lashing out, even after Nikko assured her it was completely understandable.  If some stranger randomly started harassing him, he would be pissy about it too.

Ginger just thought the whole thing was hilarious.  "See, I'm invincible against teasing," she joked.  "As a gift from Heaven, my reputation has divine protection."

"More like a gift from Hell," Ale muttered, which only made Ginger laugh more.

"Knight could tell right away though," Nikko said, trying to keep things light.

From beside him, Knight nodded, a smile pulling brightly on his lips.  "They smell different, even if they look the same!"

"Penny has said the same," Ginger added.  Penny was currently in the living room with Queen.  It wasn't clear what they were doing, but the giggles were suspicious.

Knight finished with "It must be tough for humans."

Ale hadn't questioned it when the students let their tails out.  Though she was currently in a mood, she seemed close with Ginger, and had likely known all about Penny since the day the retriever came to live there.  It almost made Nikko wish he could share any part of his life at all with his brother or sisters, but they likely wouldn't care.

"Still..." Ale said after a quiet moment.  She spoke slowly.  "I'd like to make up for what I said to you.  If you'd like to go out for dinner?  I'll treat."  Her eyes pulled to the side.

The room went still.  Nikko couldn't be sure if she was asking him out or just being friendly.  He didn't know how to respond with tact or suavity.  But he didn't want to upset her by not responding, so he softly answered honestly.  "If you want to go out just as... as friends or whatever, that would be cool.  But...  If you're asking, like... as a date..."  He could feel his face burning red with blush.  Even at his age, it was hard to say.  "Um...  Just so you know, I'm...  I'm gay..."

Silence prevailed.  Ale's eyes stayed turned away, her dark brows twitching in a scowl but only for a fleeting moment.

"I'm sorry I never told you," Nikko said next, looking to Ginger.  He felt like he needed to say _something_ before the oppressive silence crushed him.

Ginger smiled, though she looked sympathetic.  "Nikko, if you think anyone assumes you're straight, I've got news for you."  Then she pointed a thumb towards her sister, smile turning up.  "She's just overly hopeful."

"Shut up," Ale muttered, and Nikko felt even worse for her.

Ginger smirked, but then it faded.  "The truth is, that's why Reece doesn't really like you.  He's kind of a homophobe.  He doesn't like Gus either, and only tolerates him for Buck's sake."

"Oh..."  Though Nikko had suspected Reece didn't like him, it still kind of hurt.  Not that he considered Reece a friend or anything, but he didn't feel he had done anything to earn anyone's hatred.

"They almost got into a fight when Gus and Axle first met."  Ginger's voice went low, conspiratory, a gossip voice, though it wasn't like there was anyone around to hear them.  "Gus was interested.  Of course, Axle wasn't and they got on fine as friends, but Reece just had to open his stupid mouth and tell Buck to keep his 'big, gay wolf' away from Axle."

"Wow."

" _Right_?  And Buck's protective of Gus; you know that.  So he threw a punch.  Nothing came of it, of course, and now they're tight as ever, but that was one of the more eventful picnics."

"I bet."

"I don't see why you guys hang out with Reece," Ale said, a curl to her lip.  "He's a dick."

Ginger shrugged.  "He can be funny sometimes.  Just rednecky."  Then her eyes lit up like a light bulb, smile going wide.  "Hey, we should go to Rum Rainbow!"

Nikko hadn't been there in ages – not since he first moved to the city, checking out the scene.  It was uncomfortable going alone, though, so it never became a regular hangout.  "I'm too old to go clubbing."

"Nonsense!  You're never too old!"

"Almost forty is too old."

"Don't be ridiculous!  It'll be fun.  Maybe you can meet someone."

Nikko suddenly felt Knight's presence acutely beside him.  He wondered if Knight understood what that meant.  He tried laughing it off; tried moving the topic.  "Maybe _you_ can meet someone."

"I don't mind dancing with pretty girls all night."  Then she laughed.  "I'll bring Kent along; he can watch."  She winked.  "What do you say?  Let's do it."

"I... don't know..."

Ginger changed tactics, turning to Knight.  "How about you, Knight?  Want to go dancing?"  That was unfair.

"Yes!  I like dancing!"  Knight's tail curled, awfully excited at the idea for someone who didn't even know what a club was.  "Nikko, let's dance!"

Nikko threw a tiny glare at Ginger.  "That was underhanded."  Though he didn't miss the small smile on Ale's face, which made him happy.

"Nikko!"  Knight tugged on his sleeve.  "I want to dance with Nikko!"

"Okay, okay," Nikko replied, head wobbling back and forth as he was tugged.  "We can go."

Knight cheered and Ginger grinned, then she turned to Ale.  "Wanna come with?"

Ale's eyes turned away again.  "No, thank you.  I've embarrassed myself in front of this guy enough as it is."

Nikko gave a sympathetic smile.  He wanted to say something to put Ale at ease, to assure her she didn't need to be embarrassed, to let her know that _he_ was the one who had messed up their meeting.  He didn't get a chance, though, as Queen and Penny stormed the kitchen then, stealing everyone's attention and laughing.  Queen's face was done up perfectly with makeup, which looked rather amazing on him, but what they seemed most amused by was the gold and pink braid that connected them.

"Look!" Queen said.  They took a step apart, showing off the bridge between them.  "We braided our hair together!"

Ginger began to chuckle and Nikko's brows rose in amusement as he said "You two are crazy."

Then he saw Ale smile outright, until she, too, started to laugh.


	47. Come On Out, part two

 

 

 

Nikko had to help Knight get dressed, and he had more fun with it than he would ever admit.  Knight just looked so good in anything, it was hard not to enjoy dressing him up like a doll.

They left his head uncovered, assuming – hoping – people would think the horns were just an accessory; it wasn't like it was uncommon for people to dress up a little garishly or flamboyantly at these kinds of clubs.  For clothes, Nikko dipped into his savings a bit to buy Knight a new outfit, and everything came together nicely.  In a silver button-up with only one button fastened, Knight's chest and navel were teased.  The new pair of pitch-black jeans were so tight, one could almost see the outline of Knight's tail pressed against his leg.

And after all the work it took to squeeze Knight into those pants, one look had Nikko pushing him down on the bed and pulling them right off again.  They were going to be a little late meeting the others.

Nikko himself dressed more conservatively – dressed his _age_ – in a nice, deep-red sweater that he knew he was going to regret when they got to the crowded club and started moving, and a pair of brown slacks.  Not flashy at all, but as he looked himself over in the full-length mirror after cleaning up from the quickie, he thought he looked at least a little good.

Queen began yelling up the stairs "Are you ready yet!?  Come _on_!"

With a sheepish grin, Nikko grabbed up the small bag that held his and Knight's wallets, then they headed down the stairs.

Queen took one sniff once they were on ground floor, then scowled.  "You two were fucking, weren't you?"

" _No_ ," Nikko denied.  "We would never-"  And when Queen's eyes narrowed, he changed to "Okay, maybe.  But!  Look at his pants!"  Until Queen's gaze moved to the crotch of Knight's pants.  "No!  Don't look at his pants!"  Nikko's face was burning bright.

"Whatever," Queen said before spinning around.  "Let's go; I want to see Gus."

Nikko called out a greeting to Bishop, who was already settled in for a night of having the TV all to himself.  Nikko had to fight off the sudden urge to kiss the top of Bishop's head like a parent parting with a child.  Bishop really was his baby.  "Be good.  Don't answer if anyone comes to the door.  If you need anything, just call; we all have our phones.  Or call Buck; he'll be home tonight.  Don't use the stove.  You can-"

"Come _on_!" Queen yelled again.

Face flushing again, Nikko finished with "See you later," and then they were off.

They were a somewhat random group.  Ginger was there, of course, but Penny had opted not to come, not interested in a party full of humans she couldn't play with.  Kent came along, and Tina did too, but Buck said – a bit too bluntly – that he wouldn't be caught dead at a gay club.  Queen managed to _coerce_ Gus into coming, but it wasn't until he mentioned that Knight would be there that Gus actually showed any enthusiasm about the idea.  Nikko didn't know if Queen was aware of Gus's feelings for Knight, and he worried about how that particular triangle – or did he himself make it a square? – would play out.

They all met up outside the club, Ginger having picked Gus up.  She told them between chuckles how funny she found it that her bike almost couldn't handle his weight, while Queen moved to take Gus's arm like a lady.  Tina likewise took Knight's arm, and Nikko had to quash the small flicker of jealousy that ran through him.  Even at a gay club, he couldn’t be romantic with Knight in front of the others; it wasn't fair.

The music was already bumping through the walls as they paid their entrance fee and got their hands stamped for re-entry, and it was even louder when they made it inside.  They were greeted by Andy Bell crooning " _Honey, if you love him, that's all that matters_ " as they passed through the doors, the place packed with people dancing, grinding, smelling of sweat and pheromones even Nikko could detect.

He didn't miss the way so many eyes turned to them when they entered – or, specifically, turned to Gus.  Whether it was purely because of the wolf's size or because of the missing arm, Nikko didn't know, but he suspected it was both.  Queen seemed to have noticed the looks as well, a smile of challenge gracing his lips as he held Gus's arm tighter, resting his head on the wolf's shoulder.

"Let's find somewhere to throw our stuff," Ginger yelled over the music, leading the way through the club until they found an empty table.

They had barely set their things down when Knight began tugging on Nikko's sleeve.  "Nikko, let's dance!"

"Ah..."  Nikko's nerves flared.  He wasn't ready yet; he was too old for this.  "Wait until I've had a few drinks in me."

"I can get you something," Kent offered, gentlemanly smile in place.  "What would you like?"

"Gin and tonic," Nikko answered.  It was one of the few drinks his stomach could handle that would also get him buzzed.

"Coming right up," Kent replied.  "Anyone else?"

A tally rang out – "Beer," "Beer," "Water," "Water," "Water" – and Kent slipped away.

"I'm kind of surprised you can drink beer," Nikko said to Gus as they sat down.  Gus only looked away and shrugged.

Ginger laughed.  "Buck had him drinking beer before he could even use a human toilet."

Gus huffed a growl, muttering "I can use a toilet just fine."

Nikko chuckled despite the wolf's embarrassment, but it was Queen who saved him by changing the topic when he said "You help with your teacher's construction business, right?"  He stroked Gus's bicep as he spoke, looking absolutely smitten.

"Yeah," Gus answered.  Then his voice lowered and his eyes pulled away.  "But...  Not so much anymore."

"I don't suppose you could help me paint my bedroom?  I don't know how to do it myself."

Gus hummed a bit, and then his eyes turned to Queen.  After a beat, a fang appeared over his lip as he smiled.  "Yeah, I can do that."

Queen grinned, putting on all of his charms.  "Thank you!  It'll be a big help."

More small-talk was made, largely by Queen and Knight.  Nikko was sure everyone except himself got checked out by passers-by at least a few times, with Knight and Gus getting the bulk of the attention while being the only ones at their table with someone hanging off their arm.  Queen and Tina's possessive touches may have been the only thing actually keeping anyone from approaching them.  Then Kent came back with a tray laden with drinks, they had a round of 'cheers!', and then Knight was tugging at him again.

"Nikko!  I want to dance!"

Before Nikko could say anything, Tina pulled on Knight's arm.  "I'll dance with you, Knight."

That jealous twinge bit at Nikko's stomach, but it was for the best.  "You should go with Tina," he said.  "I'll finish my drink and join you later."

Something sad touched Knight's eyes, but he nodded.  "Okay, Nikko."  Then the two fennecs stood, ready to try their hand at dancing again.

Queen was up right after them.  "We should go too!"  His fingers slid down Gus's arm until he had taken Gus's hand.  "Would you like to dance with me?"

"Sure," Gus said, standing to join.  He towered over Queen – it was kind of cute.

The humans were left alone to finish their drinks, but it wasn't long before a cute, blond girl in pigtails wandered up and leaned in close to Ginger, speaking in her ear.  Ginger smiled, said "Excuse me, gentlemen," and then stood and followed the girl onto the dance floor.

Now alone with Kent, a spot of nerves washed over Nikko again.  "Careful," he said lightly.  "She might run off with someone."

Kent's smile was a mix of amused and mischievous.  "I'm not concerned."

The green eyes bearing into him made Nikko uncomfortable.  He took up his drink again, downing it before he looked out over the dance floor, searching for Knight.  All of the animals were in a small group, though Queen was the only one who seemed to be at all close to dancing.  His arms and hips swung to _a_ beat, but not necessarily the one currently thudding from the club's speakers.

"Do you not like dancing?" Kent asked, drawing Nikko's attention back to him.

"Oh, no, I like it," Nikko answered.  "I just... haven't been in a long time, so I'm nervous.  Like..."  Then he looked down, studying the hands around his glass.  "Maybe I'm too old to be here."

"Nonsense," Kent said, his smile going warm.  Then he gestured to Nikko's glass.  "Would you like another drink?"

It took Nikko a moment to realize his drink was empty, and another moment to consider, and then he nodded.  "Yeah, that'd be great."

Kent's smile turned up.  "Come with me; we can drink at the bar."  And when Nikko stood, Kent took his hand, sending a jolt through him, but he didn't have time to pull away or resist before Kent said "So we don't get separated," and began pulling him toward the bar.

Nikko allowed himself to be led through the club.  They had to maneuver around the dance floor, and Nikko was able to find Knight again as they went by, using Gus's tall form as a beacon.  Their eyes met, then Knight's gaze moved down, and something heartbreaking came over Knight's face at the grip Kent had on Nikko's hand.  Quickly, Nikko yanked his hand away, causing Kent to turn to him with a questioning brow.

"S-Sorry," Nikko stuttered.  He didn't know why he was apologizing.  "I almost ran into someone."

Kent's smile returned, and he moved to slide an arm around Nikko's shoulders.  "It's crowded.  We need to be careful."

They made it to the bar, another gin and tonic was ordered, and they clinked their cheers before Nikko downed the glass.

"How are you feeling?" Kent asked.

"Fine," Nikko answered, kind of perplexed by the question.

"You can hold your alcohol well."

Oh.  "Yeah," Nikko said with a half-smile.  "I have a weak stomach, though, so I usually end up feeling sick long before I feel tipsy, unless I'm drinking something really hard."

"Like shots?"

"Yeah."

Kent grinned, looking amused.  "Want to try?"

"Shots?"

"Sure."  Then Kent turned to the bartender before Nikko could respond, pointing at a menu on the counter and raising two fingers.  "I'll do one too," he finished when he had turned back to Nikko.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?"

Kent laughed out loud.  "I just want you to be able to relax, so you can dance."  His statement was punctuated by two small glasses of amber liquid being set before them, as if he had planned it like that.  He handed one to Nikko, holding the other up.  "What shall we toast to?"

Nikko never got a chance to speak when Kent was around, always drawn into the other man's pace.  But he thought of Knight, thought of how much Knight wanted to dance with him, and how much he wanted to dance with Knight in return.  So Nikko smiled.  "To sharp ears and fluffy tails."

Kent laughed again, their glasses touched, and then they simultaneously threw their heads back and poured the alcohol down their throats.

It burned.  Like wildfire, Nikko could feel the liquid blazing a trail all the way to his stomach, where it then spread through the rest of his body.  He coughed, feeling like he could breathe fire, but then he and Kent both laughed.

"Another?" Kent asked.

"Yeah," Nikko answered.  "Then I'll dance."

The second shot took him less by surprise, but burned just as hot.  His head felt fuzzy, the drinks from before starting to catch up with him, the shots hitting fast.  He was dizzy now; he would be worse later.  He almost looked forward to it.

"Ready?" Kent asked.  The mischievous quirk to his lip was attractive, fun.

Nikko grinned a "Yeah," and they headed out, already strutting before they even made it to the dance floor.

He had always liked dancing; it was a shame his anxiety kept him from going alone and his lack of friends kept him from going at all when he was younger.  Nikko had always felt music very deeply, and as he felt the crush of other bodies surround him, he let it move his body.  The beat moved his shoulders and hips; the alcohol tamed his nerves and encouraged him to smile.  He gyrated with the music, and if that was hunger that came over Kent's eyes, the alcohol convinced Nikko it was a flattering thing.

"Nikko, you made it!" Ginger shouted and pushed his arm when he ran into her.  She was dancing with a group of girls, happy to have their space among all the men, some of them making out right there on the dance floor.  It made Nikko laugh, and then he turned to look for Knight.

Somehow, Knight had ended up dancing with Gus, which looked more like two ripped sumo wrestlers trying to push each other off the dance floor with their chests, both laughing like idiots.  Queen and Tina were faring much better, hips swaying _almost_ in time with the music, with their arms wrapped around each other.

Nikko smiled, stepping to go to Knight until a wave of drunkenness hit him.  His head floated off his shoulders and his vision blurred.  His whole body flushed, and he cursed his choice to wear a sweater, just like he knew he would.  It struck him as a good idea to take it off right there, so he did, leaving him in just a thin, white undershirt, and he felt so much better.

Kent appeared at his side again, another shot glass in hand.  "Warm?" he questioned, eyes slipping over Nikko's chest.

"Burning," Nikko replied.

"Well, I'll take this."  Kent reached for Nikko's sweater, then handed him the drink.  "And you take this."

Nikko swallowed the shot in one gulp – because what else would he do with it? – and then handed the glass back to Kent.  His head rolled; a grin slopped onto his face.  "Thanks."

"I'll take this over to our stuff," Kent said.  Then he ran a thumb over Nikko's cheek, making him heat up further.  "Don't go anywhere."

Once Kent stepped away, Nikko immediately began searching for Knight again, but it was difficult when he was beginning to see three of everything.  He shook his head, making his stomach roll, but before he could even decide that was a bad idea, he felt someone press against him from behind, dancing, grinding against him.  So Nikko moved with the unknown man – he was here to dance, after all.  And then another man appeared in front of him, sandwiching him between the two hard bodies, hips swaying to the music provocatively.  Nikko laughed.

It felt good.  He wasn't too old for this; men were attracted to him.  It felt nice to have people want him, even if just on the shallow surface.

The man behind him put a hand on Nikko's hip, then began to slide it forward, slipping towards Nikko's crotch.  He didn't get there, though, as his presence was suddenly ripped away from Nikko.  Before Nikko's plodding mind could figure out what was going on, the man who had been at his front was pushed away as well, and a deep growling filled Nikko's ears more than the music ever could.

Knight's teeth were bared as he stepped next to Nikko, glaring, daring anyone to try getting close.  The men who had been on Nikko backed off; the few people who had even noticed the commotion went back to their dancing; the moment was over in a second.

"Nikko, you said you would dance with _me_!" Knight said, hurt, grabbing Nikko's wrist.

"I was looking for you," Nikko answered.  He was pretty sure he could speak right.

Knight's face quickly changed, concern replacing anger and jealousy.  "Is Nikko okay?"

Nikko nodded, and then let himself fall against Knight's chest, where he was caught against the solid warmth.  "I'm a little drunk."

"Nikko..."

He moved back then and slid his fingers into the belt loops of Knight's pants.  "Let's dance."

Knight smiled, his face lighting up, and it made Nikko just as lovestruck-woozy as any alcohol.

He didn't let Knight bob at random.  Instead, he used his hold on the belt loops to control Knight's hips, pushing and pulling, a marionette on the dance floor.  And Knight got it.  It took a moment, but eventually Nikko was able to pull his hands away and Knight kept the rhythm, continuing to move as he had been shown.  Such a good student.

Nikko pressed their hips together as best he could despite the height difference, and pressed their bodies close.  They moved together, bodies rocking together, erotic.  He led one of Knight's hands to his hip, then slid his own arms around Knight's neck, and he was charmed all over again by the smile on Knight's face.

Everything faded away.  For a little while, Nikko forgot where they were, forgot how they were surrounded by people.  As far as he cared, it was just him, Knight, and the music, a perfect ménage trios, all he ever needed to live.  Blood pooled in his groin; he was getting hard.

Knight's hand squeezed his hip.  "Nikko..."  Nose quivering, lust was flooding into Knight's eyes.

Nikko leaned closer.  He wanted to kiss Knight, but then he saw Kent out of the corner of his eye, watching like a babysitter.  Nikko didn't move away, though; maybe he wanted Kent to see.  Maybe he wanted everyone to know.  Maybe he wanted another drink.

Knight was the one to pull back, looking down to reveal Tina taking hold of his shirtsleeve.  She rose up on her toes and Knight leaned down so she could speak into his ear, folded and hidden behind his horn as it was.  Knight's brow crinkled in confusion, but then he turned to Nikko.  "Tina needs my help with something.  Can I go?"

"Yeah, sure," Nikko answered, giving a lopsided smile.

"Will Nikko be okay?"

Nikko reached up to squeeze Knight's arm, though it was weak, his hands barely functioning.  "I'll be fine."

"Okay..." Knight said, though he still looked unsure as Tina pulled him away.

Kent was immediately there to take Knight's place, placing his hand on Nikko's hip where Knight's had been.  Nikko didn't lean in to Kent as he had Knight, but he let his hips sway, let the music move him again.

"Tina forgot her purse in the car," Kent explained, leaning down so Nikko could hear.  "She didn't want to go out alone, though; that's why she asked Knight to go with her."

"Oh," was all Nikko said.  That made sense...  Probably.  Though he had just started to wonder how Tina got through the door without her I.D. when Kent took his hand and squeezed it.

"Nikko, you don't look so good," Kent said.  "Are you alright?  Did you have too much to drink?"

"I-  I'm okay," Nikko replied.  "Just a little... dizzy."

"Let's go get some fresh air."

Then Kent pulled Nikko's hand, leading him through the club, towards the back.  Nikko's head spun as he passed by person after person, all of them smiling and smelling like sweat.  It was a relief when Kent opened a door to a back alley and escorted Nikko out, the fresh air calming his stomach, if nothing else.  But then he seized up when he heard the moans.

Eyes moving in a rocky line, Nikko looked around to see various other men using the alley as a haven for getting off.  Some pairs were simply making out, faces pressed together, hands roaming each other's bodies.  Some guys were on their knees, blowing their hook-up of the night.  At least one pair in the far back of the alley, where it was darkest, had gone all the way, the smaller silhouette's face being pressed into the wall as the larger thrust into him.

Nikko suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"I...  I need to find Knight..." Nikko said, reaching for the door.

Kent slid between Nikko and the door, blocking his path.  "You should rest a moment."  Then he took Nikko's hands, pulling him a few feet away from the door.  He spun Nikko and maneuvered him backward until Nikko's back hit a wall, and then Kent lifted a hand to brush Nikko's hair out of his eyes.  "Your face is flushed.  Are you feeling sick?"

"N-No..." Nikko stuttered.  Something felt wrong.  "I just...  I need..."

"It's my fault.  I'm sorry."  Kent smiled; his hand moved down to drag his thumb along Nikko's lip, and then he moved in closer.  He kissed Nikko, pressing Nikko against the wall, holding his cheek gently.  His lips were soft and warm.

Nikko shook his head, breaking free.  "No!  I-!"

"What's wrong?" Kent asked.  His thumb brushed along Nikko's cheek, then under his eye, catching a tear Nikko hadn't even realized had begun to pool.  "Nikko..."  He leaned in again, kissing Nikko's forehead.  "You should know by now that I like you.  I want you."

"But-  Ginger-"

"Ginger is very nice, but she's not my type."

"Not..."

" _Nikko_."  Then Kent pressed closer.  "Nikko, I'm gay, but my business partner and most of our investors are...  Well, they're old, from a different time.  They wouldn't associate with me if they knew, so I needed a cover."

It took Nikko a while to process that.  Before he had a chance to understand it, Kent had kissed him again, his hands moving to grab Nikko's ass, pulling their hips together.  Kent's erection pressed against him; Nikko's dick had gone completely limp.

Nikko pulled his head away, getting it at last.  "You-!  You were using her!?"

"I had to," Kent said.  "My business, my whole life was at stake.  You know how these things go, how hard it is for us."

Nikko slid away, shuffling away from Kent and the wall.  "I-  I need to go."  He searched for the door or the entrance of the alley – whichever was closest.  He needed to get out of there.  "I need Knight."

Kent grabbed him from behind, wrapping arms around Nikko's waist.  He was far less gentle than he had been before.  "Knight is in the car with Tina," he said, and then he chuckled.  "She's determined to have him at last."  Then he leaned in closer, hot breath smelling of alcohol washing over Nikko's ear.  He ground his erection against Nikko's ass as he purred "They're probably _socializing_ right now."

No.  No, no.  " _No_!"  Nikko pulled away, but it was useless.  Kent immediately had him against the wall again, kissing harsh and forceful.  His hand slipped into Nikko's pants, stroking along his dormant shaft, undeterred by the lack of response.  Nikko tried to fight, tried to get away, but his movements were weak and sluggish, drunkenness having dulled his reflexes and ability to function properly.  He turned his head, gasping "Don't-!"

"I'm tired of waiting for you to come around."  Kent's lips chased after.

Nikko turned his head again, and when he saw Ginger standing there, a world of hurt and fury in her eyes, he froze.  His stomach twisted – he felt sick.  Kent also seemed to sense it, halting his assault, turning to follow Nikko's gaze.

"What the _fuck_!?" Ginger screamed, grabbing the attention of many of the men in the alley, though they quickly went back to what they were doing.

Kent stepped back, his hand pulling from Nikko's pants.  "I'm sorry," he said, taking a step towards her.  "We've been drinking."

"How long!?"

"I'm... sorry?"

"How long have you been waiting for him to ' _come around_ '!?  Since the beginning!?"

"No, I-"

"You're a real piece of god-damned work, you know!  Is this why you haven't wanted to sleep with me!?  'Cause I don't have a dick!?"

Kent stepped closer, hands raised defensively.  "Please, let me explain."

"Get out of my sight!"  Ginger was scary when she was pissed.  "I don't want to see you ever again!"

"Please-"

The loud _crack_ echoed throughout the alley, and Kent's head whipped to the side so fast, Nikko was afraid his neck might have snapped.  But then he slowly turned back to Ginger, his hand going to the cheek she had slapped, and without another word he walked off, disappearing through the club's back door.

Ginger turned on Nikko, and he cowered.  "I'm sorry!  I didn't know he would try anything!  I didn't want it!  I promise I didn't lead him on or make any advances!  I wouldn't!"

"Nikko, I know."

"I would never try to steal your boyfriend!"  He was babbling, but he couldn't stop himself.  Ginger was his first real friend in a long time – maybe his best friend – and it was just _so hard_ for him to connect with people, but she stuck by him.  If he lost her, he didn't know what he would do.  "I promise I wasn't trying to!  I-!  I already have someone I love!"

"Nikko, I-"  Then her eyes went wide as she cut herself off, some kind of profound realization coming over her.  "Oh, my god.  It's Knight, isn't it?"

Nikko immediately turned to the side and threw up.

 

 

 

 

The deep weight of just how pathetic he was weighed Nikko's head down, until his forehead touched his drawn-up knees.  Though she had just caught the guy she had been dating for a year-and-a-half trying to cheat on her, Ginger had immediately set to taking care of Nikko, leading him to the front of the club to sit on the concrete steps, safer and cleaner than a dark alley.  She left him for only a moment, flashing the stamp on her hand to get back into the club, returning a mere handful of moments later.  She told him she had found Queen, tasked him with finding Knight and sending him out.  She did it all while suffering her own bit of heartbreak, and Nikko wished he could have even an ounce of her strength.

He thought he should say something; he should apologize – and then apologize again and again – but his mouth stayed shut.

It was Ginger who broke the silence, asking "Do you want to know how I know?"  Nikko only shrugged, but she answered anyway.  "I saw you two dancing together, and...  I mean, it wasn't any different than how anyone else was dancing, but...  There was something in the way you guys touch each other, like you're very familiar with each other's body."

Nikko thought about denying it.  Knight was so touchy-clingy with everyone, it should have been easy to insist she was seeing something that wasn't there.  He didn't, though; he didn't say anything at all.

"Nikko, he's...  He's not _human_.  Does he even understand relationships?"

His head shot up at that.  "I'm not-!  I'm not abusing him!"

Ginger put a hand on his arm, placating.  "I'm not saying you are."

"He does understand," Nikko said, both to assure Ginger and himself.  "He told me he understands, and I believe him."

"And what are you going to do when he graduates?"

"I...  I don't know.  But... if there's even the tiniest chance..."

"What are you going to do, run away together?"

Nikko's head dropped again.

"Oh, god, you've actually thought about it."  There was another spat of silence, and then Ginger sighed.  "Nikko, I'm saying this because I'm your friend and I love you, but there's no way you're going to get out of this unscathed.  There's not going to be a happily ever after.  Nikko!"  She squeezed his arm then, hard enough to make him jerk and look up at her.  She made sure she had his attention to say "Even if you ran away, even if you escaped the company...  Do you know how old Knight is?"

"I..."  He never did get around to figuring that out.  "He's an adult."

"For a frame of reference, Penny's five."

Nikko's eyes went wide as he slowly came to understand what he was being told.

"Nikko, they have their animal lifespans."

His face grew hot; his vision blurred, eyes welling over with hot tears.  Fennecs lived for about twelve years – if Knight was even a year older than Penny, he would already be halfway through his life.  Even if they got away from the company that owned Knight and were free to live out the rest of their days happily in love, they would only have about six years together, at most.

Ginger was right – they were doomed to tragedy.

"Nikko!"

He looked over to see Knight bursting out of the club's door, pushing people aside as he ran until he threw himself at Nikko.  His arms wrapped around Nikko, enveloping him in the familiar warmth, and he began to cry loudly as he buried his face into Nikko's neck.

"Queen said you were sick!  I'm sorry, Nikko!  I shouldn't have left you alone!"

Nikko freed an arm and reached up to bury his fingers into Knight's hair, holding him close.  "It's okay," he assured.  "I'm okay."  He scratched behind Knight's ears, soothing.  "How about you?  Are you alright?"

Face still hidden, Knight shook his head.  "Tina acted strange.  She took me into Kent's car and shut the doors, and then she took her dress off and tried getting on top of me.  But-!  But, I didn't want that...  So I ran away."

Seemed Tina and Kent had planned a tag-team.

"Nikko, will Tina be mad at me?" Knight whimpered.

Nikko exchanged a glace with Ginger.  Sometimes, Knight was too sweet for his own good.  "If she's mad," Nikko answered slowly.  "It's her own fault.  She should have asked you first."

"I would have said no."

A sound of acknowledgement came from Nikko's throat.  "I know."  And then he smiled at last.

Six years.

It seemed like such a short time, the blink of an eye compared to a human's lifespan.  But Nikko wouldn't give up – not on Knight, not on himself.  He would make them the best years of their life.

He owed Knight that much.


	48. Playful, Passion, Pink

 

 

 

Queen wasn't dumb.  Sure, he didn't know everything about humans or how they lived, but he had known something was wrong with Nikko that night they went dancing.  Leaning on Knight's arm so that he could walk properly as they made their way home, Nikko had asked Knight how old he was.  It was such a strange question.

"I'm eight," Knight had answered, and even Queen could tell something about the reply made Nikko's aura even worse.

At that time, Nikko only whispered "Four years..."  But Queen didn't understand that part and Knight didn't seem to either, and Nikko hadn't spoken much since then.

Queen wondered if he should talk to Knight about it, or Bishop.  Isn't that what family did?  Family was supposed to take care of each other, and he felt like Nikko really needed some taking care of.

He was pulled out of his thoughts when the doorbell chimed, causing his heart to speed up.  He would see what they could do for Nikko later – for now, he needed to get his room painted.

"I'll get it!" Queen sang as he danced through the house to the front door.  He flung the door open with a smile, and then sighed a happy sigh at the sight before him.

Gus was as lovely as ever, red hair shining, muscles pulling his shirt tight.  The right sleeve of his shirt was pinned up, out of the way, and in his left hand was a metal box full of supplies.  He greeted with a "Yo" that Queen found all too adorable.

"Hey there," Queen said, putting on his charms.  "Come here often?"

Gus blinked, then looked around.  "Actually, it's my first time here."

Queen laughed as he stepped back to let the wolf in.  "It was a joke."

"Oh..." Gus replied, and then a moment later let out a little laugh.  His gaze traveled slowly around the living room once he had stepped inside.  Queen and Knight had pulled all of the furniture out of Queen's room in preparation for painting, except for the bed, which was too big.  Everything was left in the living room, making the place look like a tornado had hit.  "It's crowded," Gus commented blandly.

"This is all my stuff," Queen explained.  "It'll go back in my room when we're finished."

"Oh."

Nikko appeared from then stairs then, a smile on his lips that didn't reach his eyes.  Knight was right behind him, and the other fox's appearance changed the whole atmosphere in the room.  Gus came in further, smile broadening, eyes lighting; if his tail were out, it would likely be wagging like crazy.  And his scent changed.

Queen really wasn't dumb.  It wasn't like he didn't get that Gus had a thing for Knight.  He caught the feint sweet smell that wafted lightly whenever Gus saw Knight – the same scent Bishop had when Knight was around.  But Gus couldn’t have Knight whether he knew why or not, and Queen wasn't going to just give up on him.  If they could just see each other more; if Gus got to know him better, maybe Gus could want Queen for more than just an occasional fun romp someday.

"Thanks for doing this," Nikko said.  "And for, ah... using your own supplies."  All they had needed to buy was the paint, which Nikko had let Queen pick out himself.

Gus looked away, always so nervous around Nikko, for some reason.  "'S no problem."

"Be sure to give Buck my thanks, too."

Gus only nodded, strangely timid, and Queen quickly moved to grab the paint cans sitting nearby.  "Shall we start?" he asked, batting his eyelashes playfully.

"Sure," Gus answered, and then he looked to Knight.  "You gonna help too?"

"I can't," Knight said with a smile.  Queen had made him promise to leave them alone.  "I have to go shopping and make lunch.  Sorry!"

The light faded from Gus's golden eyes, just a bit.  Queen didn't let it get to him.  He kept up cheerful conversation as they headed into the room, setting the paint cans down then jumping on the bed.  "This room will look so much better once it's painted.  Gray is such a drab color, don't you think?"

Gus just shrugged as he dug out some tool from his box.  He used it to pry the lid off of one of the cans, revealing the blushing pink paint.  Then he nodded to himself and put the lid back on.  Queen had no idea what he had been checking for.

"Nikko let me pick the color out myself.  Isn't it pretty?"  He only received another shrug in response.  "You prefer yellow, don't you?"

"Not especially," Gus answered as he dug around in his box again.  He pulled out a roll of blue tape and wedged it between his knees to hold it while picking at the end with a finger, prying a strip off.

"What's your favorite color?" Queen asked next.

Gus moved to start putting strips of tape along the edges of the floor, creating a barrier between the wall and carpet.  It was pretty amazing to watch him working so skillfully with only one arm.  "Don't got one.  I can't... really see color very well."

"Because you're half feral?"

Gus paused, and Queen wondered if that was a bad question to ask.  Finally, Gus started to move again, simply saying "Yeah."

They fell silent for a bit, with Queen just watching while Gus worked.  He liked seeing the wolf's body in motion, the way his shirt pulled taught when his muscles flexed, how graceful he was as he moved about the room.  He even liked the way the stump of Gus's right arm would move as if to reach for something, before his torso twisted to grab with his left arm instead.

The covers were removed from the outlets and light switch, and then Gus stopped for a moment and stared at Queen.  At first, Queen thought he was going to be scolded for not helping, but then Gus said "We should do these and the trim in red."  He held up the outlet covers to show what he was referring to.  "To match that streak in your hair."

Queen felt his face warm as his heart thumped heavy.  Gus had actually _looked_ at him, despite most of their interactions being on their hands and knees.  Somehow, it sent butterflies fluttering through Queen's body.  "That's a good idea," he answered with a smile.

When Gus grabbed for his blue tape again, moving to start covering the trim around the door, Queen finally slid off the bed to join him.  He put a hand on the small of Gus's back, and when the big wolf looked down at him, he smiled.  "Shall I help?"

Gus just looked at him a moment, then answered "Yeah, sure."

Working together, they got all the trim covered and tarps laid down on the floor to protect the carpeting.  The paint can was opened again, the paint stirred, and then Gus instructed Queen on pouring the paint into a pan.  It made Queen feel a new sense of accomplishment, having his hand in getting the work done.

They brought in one of the spare metal chairs, since Nikko didn't own a ladder despite being so short, and Gus did something he called 'cutting in' while Queen followed him around with the paint pan.  Then the rollers were brought out.

Gus showed Queen how to roll paint properly, though to guide Queen's right hand with his left hand, Gus had to stand close, chest-to-chest, looking over his shoulder while his large hand covered Queen's.  He gave brief instructions, none of which Queen heard, too overwhelmed by Gus's scent.  Then Gus looked down at him, their faces inches apart, and asked "Got it?"

"Yeah," Queen responded.  He hadn't learned a thing, but how hard could it be?

A short wooden pole was attached to the roller Gus used so that he could reach the high half of the wall, while Queen took the lower half.  They started on opposite sides of the same wall, moving towards each other to meet in the center.  Queen worked slowly, annoyed by the way the paint kept dripping off his roller onto the tarp or running down the wall instead of going on evenly.  He stepped in paint globs more than once, ruining his socks until he took them off completely.  He left pink footprints all over the tarp as he pattered from one side to the other.

When Gus saw Queen's work, he stared for a moment, then commented "You're using too much paint."

"How can I use too much?"

"That's why it's running and dripping."

"Well, I don't know how much to use."

Gus's brows drew together.  "I showed you."

Queen didn't argue.  He didn't want Gus to get mad at him.  "Sorry.  I guess I messed up."

"Do you want me to show you again?"

"Yes.  ...  Please."

So Gus demonstrated again, and this time Queen paid attention to the roller, not Gus's twitching pecs.  The spots Queen had messed up on were fixed, and then they continued their work, moving on to opposite sides of the next wall.  This time, the paint went on much more smoothly, though there were still the occasional drips of pink spattering to the floor.

For a while, the only sounds were of the rollers caressing the walls, but then, curiously, Queen asked "Do you hate Nikko?"

Gus's roller paused for a moment, and then resumed as he answered a simple "No."

"You always seem so timid around him."

"He... scares me."

Queen laughed.  "Scares you!?  But he's so little!"

Gus didn't laugh; his eyes stayed on his roller.  "That's the problem... I guess.  He's small so... I could hurt him even if I didn't want to.  If I... slipped."

Smile fading, all Queen said was "Oh..."  He hadn't thought of it that way.

A long stretch of silence passed.  Queen watched Gus, who continued to work.  He kept messing up; Gus probably thought he was an absolute shit.  He wondered what Knight would do.  Knight had a way of captivating everyone; maybe Queen should try to be more like him.

"I snapped at him once," Gus said suddenly, pulling Queen from his thoughts.  "I wasn't in my right mind at the time, and he looked so scared.  I don't... even know how he can talk to me now."

Queen's lip pulled up into a half-smile as he turned back to his task.  "I was a major brat to him when I first moved in, but he's forgiven me."  Then Queen chuckled.  "He's a nice guy."

"That must be why Knight likes him so much."

Queen glanced at Gus again, but the wolf didn't say any more.

They worked silently for a while, until their paths crossed in the middle of the wall.  Queen giggled and Gus smiled when they bumped into one another, and then Queen ducked under Gus's outstretched arm.  He hummed as he worked, feeling warm from Gus's close proximity, but his tune suddenly cut off when a glob of paint fell from above, hitting his cheek.  It startled him to stillness for a moment, and then he looked up to see Gus looking down at him with wide eyes.

Until Gus's face broke out in a grin.  He began to laugh, a completely endearing sound that had Queen falling for him all over again.  Queen gave a playful pout, and then swiped at the paint with his fingers.  He stood upright, reaching up to smear the paint across Gus's own cheek, marking him with a line of pink.

"You!"  Gus laughed again, taking a step back to jab at Queen with the paint roller.  Queen dodged it easily, quick even in a small space, then moved in to dash another smear of paint on Gus's other cheek.

The battle was on.  Gus dropped his roller to tackle Queen, using his size and reach to prevent an escape.  Queen's own roller was knocked from his hand as he hit the floor, laughing as Gus's weight settled on top of him.  Then Gus sat up on his knees, pinning Queen beneath him, and no matter how Queen wiggled and hit him lightly with balled fists, there was no chance of getting free.

Gus dipped his finger into a drop of paint that was on the floor, and then brought it to Queen's face, drawing a line across Queen's cheek, then another from his forehead, across his nose, ending just under his eye.  Queen cried a drawn out "No~!" as best he could through his laughter, and he grabbed Gus's arm, leaving handprints on the wolf's skin, but it wasn't much of a deterrent.  Gus next swiped a painted-pink hand along Queen's neck, pulling at the collar of his shirt to color his chest.

In an attempt to escape, Queen moved to press a hand against Gus's crotch, and the effect was almost instantaneous.  Gus went still, his hand freezing in its drawing over Queen's skin, and Queen thought he had messed up again until Gus began to move his hips.  His scent turned sweet as the bulge beneath Queen's prodding fingers began to harden.

With rough movements from his single hand, Gus was able to yank Queen's shirt off, then moved to strip him of his pants.  His impatient, feral side was coming out.  Queen felt paint smear against him as his bare body hit the tarp again, but he hardly noticed as he watched Gus tear off his own splattered shirt.

It was when Gus got up to remove his pants that Queen made a move of retaliation.  Now freed, he quickly changed their positions, using Gus's lack of attention to knock him off-balance and send him to the floor.  He lay over Gus's prone form, straddling his hips, feeling that large dick standing tall and anxious to mate.

"Let's do it like this," Queen said as he leaned his face close to Gus's.

"Like this?"

"Like humans."  Queen dragged his own erection along Gus's abdomen, leaving pink handprints on the wolf's chest where he planted his hands.

Gus's rough impatience had stopped; he looked shocked, as if disbelieving that it was possible for him.  "Human?"

"Yes," Queen said as he thrust against Gus's body a few strokes.  "Humans do it like this sometimes."  That girl had done it like this to him once.  "Can we try?"

Those golden eyes looked lost, like he didn't understand, like he wanted to protest that he wasn't human.  Queen wanted to show him that he could be, that the feral side of himself that he was so afraid of didn't have to define him.  He would get his chance when Gus nodded and said "A'ight."

Queen smiled a flirty smile, then leaned back, raising his arms to run through his pink river of hair and stretch out his body, showing Gus what he was offering.  "It'll feel good, I promise."

Rising up on his knees a bit, Queen positioned himself over Gus's dick, and then he began to lower himself.  But it didn't go in easily; not nearly as easy as when that girl did it; not even as easily as the times he had been with Gus before.  Something was different.  There was too much resistance, but Queen refused to give up this moment, this chance.  He reached back, reached under his tail, and spread himself, forcing his body to open and allow Gus in.  He pushed, and when his body finally relented, he cried out loudly.

It hurt.  It hurt more than anything had before, enough to bring tears to Queen's eyes.  He didn't get what he had done wrong, how he had messed up this time.

He heard Gus hiss, and looked down to see the wolf wincing.  "You have to get it wet first," Gus said through panting breaths.

Queen felt his lip tremble and he bit it.  "I-I'm sorry.  I didn't know."

"We should stop."

"No!"  He didn't-  He didn't want to lose this chance.  He didn't want to have this moment with Gus taken away from him.  "It's okay!  I-  I can take it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah.  It just... stings a little.  Please-  Let me do it."

Gus gulped and then nodded.  His hand slid up Queen's thigh, leaving a smear of pink, and then he took Queen's hand.

Queen gripped that hand like his life depended on it as he slowly continued to impale himself on Gus's dick.  The dry friction burned a scathing ring of fire around his hole, while his own erection throbbed harder.  And when he was finally sat on Gus's hips, their bodies connected completely, he breathed.  Then he smiled.

"You feel good," Queen purred.

Gus grinned and bucked his hips up.  Their bodies began to move together, and it got better.  It got _good_.  As Queen's body adjusted to the intrusion, as their natural juices made things move more easily, they were able to rock together.  Queen rode Gus's cock like he was made for it – perhaps he was – and the growls that streamed from Gus's throat only spurned him on further.

When the knot began to grow, Queen made sure it got buried inside him.  He wanted the connection, wanted to be stuck to this beautiful wolf.  His hips rotated, drawing out the pleasure, making Gus come hard.  The grip on his hand was crushing as Gus howled out his orgasm, and Queen kept right on riding him.  His free hand gripped his own cock, pumping himself as he milked every last drop of cum Gus had to offer until he moaned out his own release.  His seed coated Gus's chest, another layer of paint over the pink that covered the both of them.

The room was loud with their harsh breaths and pounding hearts and another sound that Queen eventually realized was Gus's tail beating against the plastic tarp.  He laughed, looking down at the wolf with eyes full of affection.  "How was that?"

"That was good," Gus answered.  "I wanna do more human things."

Queen squeezed Gus's hand.  "You will."

They were still smiling at each other like goofs when Nikko's voice approached the open doorway, saying "Queen?  Gus?  Lunch is ready if yo-  Oh god!"  Nikko slapped his hand over his eyes when he saw them, face red.  "I'm sorry!"  And Queen only laughed as his teacher stuttered "L-Lunch is ready.  You can come get some whenever you'd like."

Queen's gaze turned back to Gus as he said "We'll be out in about twenty minutes."


	49. Why am I like this?

 

 

 

"Let's go on a date."

Bishop's eyes went wide, staring speechless at the pink fox who had plopped down across from him.  While he and Queen _had_ been getting along better recently, he had no idea Queen may have come to like him _that_ much.

"Not you and I together.  Stop looking at me like that."  Queen's eyes narrowed at him a moment before he continued.  "I want to go out with Gus, but I don't think he'll go if it's with just me.  But if we tell him it's a group thing, maybe he'll agree.  So let's go on a double-date."

Bishop didn't know what a 'double-date' was, but he knew 'double' and he knew 'date', so it was easy enough to figure out.  "Why me?"

"Gus doesn't know about Knight and Nikko, and it would be bad if he found out they're together, right?  So they can't go.  And besides-"  Queen cut himself off and looked down.  His gaze fixed on the floor or his lap, a frown turning his usually playful face to something more pained.  Bishop thought he wouldn't finish, until Queen quietly added "Besides... if Knight's there, Gus will pay more attention to him than me."

Bishop didn't have any opinions about that whole situation, but he supposed he understood what Queen meant.  But still...  "I don't want to date Gus."

Queen's eyes slowly traveled back up to Bishop, and then one eye squinted at him.  "Do you even know what a double-date is?"

This time, Bishop was the one to look away.  "... Double means two, so...  A 'double-date' is two people going on a date with someone."

"No, you dip.  A 'double-date' is two couples going out together."

Bishop quietly filed that tidbit of information away.  It did make Queen's request a little more sensible, even if it only presented a new problem.  "I don't have a... couple."

"You can go with Ben."

"Ben?"  Bishop went still.  It seemed like such a random suggestion, though Ben was very nice.  Ben was pretty in his own right – though perhaps not as much as Knight – and never touched Bishop or made him uncomfortable.

" _Please_."  It was the first time Queen had ever used that word with him, and Bishop was about to agree to it, until Queen added "Then maybe you can socialize with someone besides your pillow."

Bishop turned, putting his back to Queen.  "I'll think about it."

 

 

 

 

"I thought you said Knight was gonna be here," Gus said, looking around the dining area.  Four animals sat around the table, but otherwise the house was empty.

"He was going to be, but then something came up and he left.  I think he's helping Nikko reach the top shelf at the... furniture store."  Queen was obviously making things up as he went along, but if anyone besides Bishop realized it, they didn't let on.

"Oh."  Gus scratched his head.  _He_ clearly hadn't caught on at all.  "Well...  When will he be back?"

"Not for _hours_ ," Queen said.  "It's a big store."  Then he put a hand on Gus's arm, tilting his head, exposing his neck which Gus's eyes looked drawn to.  "But you'll stay and hang out with us, won't you?  Since you're already here."

Gus thought about it for a while, but eventually answered with "Yeah, sure."

"Great!"  Then Queen turned back to the table's center, facing everyone at once.  "So, what should we do for our double-date?"  And if he saw the perplexed look that crossed Gus's face, he ignored it.

Ben put a finger to his lips in thought.  "Alice hasn't dated at all since her husband died, but I've heard human dates usually involve eating out."

"They go do things as well..." Bishop added quietly.  "Like museums or the zoo..."

"I think it's too late for those," Queen said thoughtfully.  "But maybe we could watch a movie at the theater?  I see that kind of date on TV a lot."

"That's a good idea," Ben said, and then he turned a charming smile to Bishop.  He was definitely pretty; Bishop liked the way the light made his gray hair look like strands of silver.  "What do you think?"

He almost couldn't believe he was going to date a cat.  "Yes.  I-  I like movies..."

"Great!"  Queen sat up straighter, perking.  "Then it's decided."  He latched on to Gus's arm, tail curling.  Gus didn't seem like he particularly minded – didn't seem to have a single thought in his head either way.  "Let's see something _scary_."

It was odd for Bishop to go out – to leave the house at all – without Knight or Nikko.  He had a sense of unease as the quartet made their way to the theater, even though it wasn't like the others were strangers by any means.  He wanted his comfort back as soon as they stepped out the door, wanted either one of those two people who could touch him without setting his alarms off.  But Nikko had been so broken lately.  Something had happened to cause their teacher to withdraw, and Bishop didn't want to crush the leftover pieces of him any further by insisting he chaperone them.

He hadn't told Nikko yet just how at ease he had become with his presence.  It had taken time and it had taken work, but he was finally in a place where he could stand Nikko's touch.  He welcomed it, even.  The first spark had come in the winter, when Nikko – with permission, of course; always with permission – had pet his ears.  It hadn't frightened him.  It felt...  It felt good.  He wanted more pettings on his ears.

But he had made such a big deal over not wanting to be touched, it would be embarrassing to go back on it now, even though he was sure Nikko would be happy about the change.  Surely, Nikko would smile if he knew he was welcome in Bishop's bubble.

Maybe, if he worked hard again, he could bring someone else into that bubble, and as he glanced shyly in Ben's direction, he found the tabby smiling back at him.

The movie theater was loud and crowded, trying its best to persuade Bishop to turn tail and abandon the date altogether.  But he steeled his nerves and dipped his head, hiding the hordes of teenagers from sight behind the brim of his hat as he followed Queen's boots to the ticket counter.

Screen five was as crowded as the lobby.  The seats were too close.  He wanted to leave.  Ben asked if he was alright and Queen assured him that once the movie started he would forget all about the other people.  He sat between the two of them once they found four consecutive seats.  It was still too, too close, but he told himself repeatedly that at least he was stuck between two... acquaintances.

"I heard this movie is super scary," Queen said, leaning closer to Gus.  "I'd feel better if I could hold your hand."

In response, Gus waved his stump at Queen.

"The _other_ one, silly."  Then Queen reached across Gus's lap, taking his left hand.  He smiled happily while Gus's brow just crinkled in confusion.  Their fingers remained intertwined, though.

Bishop looked away from their display.  Holding hands wouldn't make him feel any better, unless it were Knight's.  But that wouldn't happen, not tonight.  He was on his own, in a way; he needed to learn to comfort himself.

It did help when the movie started.  It gave him something to focus on, a distraction from the almost overwhelming discomfort he felt.  And though it was supposed to be a scary movie, Bishop found the people around him far more frightening.  Women in the audience screamed – Queen and Gus both screamed too, falling over each other as they both tried to hide from the monsters on screen – but Bishop couldn't see what the big deal was.  It was all so fake, makeup and special effects.  None of the stuff in the movie was real; there was no threat on film.

When the movie ended, the lights came up, and Queen and Gus laughed at both themselves and each other.  Ben had a smile on his face too as he asked "What did you think?"

"It... didn't make sense," Bishop answered slowly as he cast a glance at the hoard of humans filing out of the theater.  "Why did she come out of the TV?"

Ben laughed, remaining in his seat, making no move to leave just yet.  "I don't understand it either.  Humans have strange tastes."

They waited until the theater was almost empty before getting up, avoiding the crush of people and dodging the risk of Bishop getting touched.  Even Queen waited without whining, considerate for once, and Bishop was grateful.  He could do this.

"Are we supposed to eat now?" Ben asked once they were back in the brightly-lit lobby.

"I think so," Queen answered.  "Where should we go?  Nikko always goes to Starbucks."

Ben's brow rose.  "The coffee shop?  Would that really work for us?"

"Mmm..."  Queen's head tilted to the side.  "I guess so.  Knight seems to like it, so-"

"Let's go," Gus said.

It was decided without Bishop's input, not that he really had an opinion one way or the other.  He had been to what Nikko affectionately referred to as "Bucky's" several times, and knew of a few things he could have.  He longed for hot chocolate, but it was forbidden; he wanted the large club sandwich, but he didn't have enough allowance left to get it.  He got a latte and coffee cake instead.  It smelled good, and when he got his mug he saw a dog had been drawn in the foam.  He looked at the barista, and she winked at him.

"That is so cute!" Queen commented at Bishop's drink as they sat at a table.  "My drink doesn't have a picture; it's not fair."  There was no place to do a picture in the huge mound of cream that topped Queen's strawberry frozen drink.  Even as he spoke, though, Queen pulled out his phone, swiping the pink device on.  "I want to take a picture!"  He moved the phone towards Bishop's drink, touched the shutter button, and then laughed.  "I'll send it to Nikko."

"Shall we get a commemorative photo of the four of us?" Ben suggested.

"That's a great idea!"  Then Queen bounced off to retrieve a barista to play photographer.

They huddled together for the picture, and Bishop's body began to tremble.  He couldn't breathe.  But he wanted to get better.  He knew now that he could overcome this fear; he could grow accustomed to people's proximity, if he would just stop hiding.  He would try.  So when the barista called out "Smile!" Bishop managed to look neutral, instead of outright terrified.

"I'll send it to everyone later," Queen said, radiating joy.

They sat, drank coffee, chatted like humans.  It was strange, yet there was a scent of pride among them that they could do it.  They could be human.  Even if most of their conversation revolved around how-to-be-human studies, even if the scent of the coffee shop and the people in it hit them more strongly than it would any real human, even if Queen had to duck behind Gus and let his ears flick up for a bit, complaining they were tired.  Despite being animals, they were acing this test of humanity.

When their drinks were long empty and cake just a memory, they headed back to Bishop and Queen's home, ending the date where it began.  Queen paused on the doorstep, holding Gus's wrist firmly, and though there was a resolve about him, his voice held its usual playful lilt as he said "Bishop should show Ben his room."

Bishop's gaze turned away, but he understood both hints Queen was sending – 'leave us alone' and 'socialize with the cat'.  But he wasn't sure at all if he were ready for that.  He didn't know-  He couldn't touch-

"I'd love to see it," Ben said with a small smile.

Bishop nodded and they went inside, leaving Queen and Gus on their own.

The house was dark and quiet when they went in, though a single lamp had been left on in the living room and he could hear Knight and Nikko talking in their nest upstairs.  Bishop's bedroom was even darker and quieter; even after the light was flicked on, it felt foreboding.  When Ben casually pushed the door shut, it seemed to echo forever; the room seemed several square feet smaller.  He felt trapped.

"You have a lot of books," Ben said as he looked over the bookshelf in the corner.  It was new – Queen had gotten paint; Bishop got a bookshelf – and helped contain his growing collection of workbooks, puzzle books, and astronomy books.

"I...  I like to study," Bishop replied.  His hands clasped the brim of his hat, removed now that he was away from the stares of humans.  His fingers slid over the wool in a repeated, nervous motion, squirming.

"I know."  Ben turned a smile toward him.  "You're very smart."

Bishop nodded, but remained silent.

For a while, they simply regarded each other quietly, until Ben let out a breath and turned to face Bishop fully.  "I hear that at the end of human dates, they sometimes go to bed together.  Or sometimes they simply kiss and say farewell."  Then he looked down and smiled, a touch shy.  Bishop liked that.  "I... would like to do either of those things with you, but if you're not comfortable with it, I won't push.  I want you to be at ease around me."

Bishop had never kissed anyone before.  He knew humans did it often – Knight and Nikko did it all the time, and they always looked so _happy_ when they parted, so it must have been pleasurable.

He couldn't kiss a pillow.

"I want..."  Then Bishop gulped, trying to swallow his nerves.  "I want..."  His voice was as rooted as his feet were, unable to say or do anything, hardly able to think beyond his desire to at least try.  "I want to..."

Then the door across the hall – Queen's room – slammed shut so suddenly that Bishop jumped.  His heart sped up, beating hard until he had discerned what the noise was.  He must have looked comical, because when he focused back on Ben, he found the cat grinning.

"I'm sorry," Ben said.  And when Bishop didn't respond, his smile dipped to something almost sad.  "I should go."

"No," Bishop whispered, taking a step forward.  "No, I...  I want to try.  A ki-kiss.  I want..."  He forced himself another step forward, another step closer.

Ben smiled again, eyes lighting, scent going sweet.  He reached a hand out, but otherwise didn't move, letting Bishop go his own pace.

Bishop's hat fell to the floor as he lifted his own hand.  Fear swept through him like a breeze, but he slowly pressed on, forcing his body to move, fingers drawing closer and closer yet to where Ben's waited patiently to meet him.

And then he snapped.  He pulled away.  Terror overtook him, causing Bishop to shake violently as he fell to the ground and scrambled to the other side of the room.  He was in danger.

He was in danger.

He didn't even know what he was in danger of, but it loomed over him, threatening to choke the wind out of him.  He couldn't breathe.  He was scared.

"Bishop!" Ben cried out.  "Are you alright!?"

"Please!"  Bishop cowered.  He buried his face between his knees, throwing his arms over his head.  "P-Please don't touch me!"

"I won't."  Ben's voice was gentle.  "I promise I won't."

"Please don't..."

No response came.  Bishop couldn't hear anything except his own pounding heart and the blood rushing in his ears.  He couldn't feel anything except an unknown doom and he just wanted it to go away.  He wanted to be safe again.

Then hands were on him.  Warm hands.  Safe hands.  Knight's hands.  The darkness threatening to swallow him broke apart, and he could hear Knight's voice telling him everything was okay.  Nikko's voice was there too, saying "Bishop.  Bishop, it's alright.  You're safe."  His voice was like sunshine, a guiding light.

"Why am I like this?" Bishop cried as his hands slid down to bury into his hair, gripping hard enough to hurt.  "Why am I like this?"


	50. In You, In Me

 

 

 

Every movement Knight made, every smile he gave, every breath he took was like a precious, limited gift.  Nikko had been naive enough to think that, if they could only escape the company's clutches, they would have a lifetime together.

He had been so wrong.

Nikko spent a good most of his summer vacation moping, on the verge of tears, on the verge of breaking down entirely.  His students tiptoed around him, treating him like a fragile piece of glass that might shatter if the ground shook even a little bit.  He was worrying them, but it wasn't until Bishop's own breakdown that Nikko remembered that he needed to find and hold on to any last piece of inner strength he had, for their sake.

At best, he had four years with Knight, and that was only if the company didn't take him away.  He had to smile.  He had to make those years the best – the happiest.  Knight deserved that much.

But it was so hard when all he wanted to do was cry.

"Nikko?"

Nikko startled at Knight's voice.  He had been sitting in their still-empty backyard, drinking a cup of coffee leftover from the morning, watching the sun slowly descend towards their stone privacy wall.  He turned to see Knight standing in the open sliding door, his face pensive and a cluster of wildflowers clutched in his fist.

"Nikko," Knight said again, now that he had his teacher's attention.  And then his face crumpled; tears began to well over, drawing crystal tracks down his cheeks.  He fell to his knees, crying.  "Nikko, I'm sorry!  I'm sorry, Nikko!"  Then he thrust the bundle of flowers toward Nikko, a peace offering for some battle unknown.

Nikko's heart broke into tiny fragments.  "Knight, what's wrong?"  He reached out, bypassing the flowers and taking Knight's wrist, pulling him closer.

Knight rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hand, for all the good it did.  His voice was rough and broken as he cried out "Nikko is so sad all the time!  If it's my fault, I'm sorry!  If I messed up, I'll make up for it, I promise!"

The fragments of Nikko's heart shattered further as he pulled Knight closer still, tucking his sobbing fox against his chest.  He had made a mistake, keeping everything to himself.  It was so typical of him.  "Shh..." he soothed, running a hand through Knight's hair.  He buried his face into that spot right between Knight's ears, delivering kiss after kiss, as if that would help.  "You didn't do anything wrong.  It's not your fault."

"I don't want Nikko to be sad!"

"I know," Nikko said as he continued to pet his sobbing lover.

Neither spoke again for a while.  Knight continued to cry, clinging to Nikko; Nikko let him get it all out.  And eventually the sobs dwindled to sniffles, then to heavy breaths.  Knight lifted his head, lightly clocking Nikko in the jaw with his horn in the process, and with his eyes averted, he repeated "I don't want Nikko to be sad..."

"I know," Nikko said again.  "I'm sorry.  I'm... trying really hard not to let it get to me, but..."

"Nikko?" Knight whimpered, and then he sniffled loudly.

Nikko took a breath.  "The truth is, I only just realized...  Just found out that you guys have your animal lifespans."  He choked on a sob, swallowed it when he saw Knight's eyes go wet again.  "You're already halfway through your life, aren't you?"

"Nikko...  Nikko, I'm-"

"Don't say you're sorry!"  Nikko scrubbed at his own tears.  He wasn't strong enough for this.  "You didn't do anything wrong.  But I...  Humans live so much longer than animals, and I-  I don't know how I'm going to  live without you."

"I'm-"  Knight stopped before another apology came out.  He pouted quietly for a moment, then said "I don't want to be a fox anymore."

And that – that sad and adorable statement – made Nikko laugh, chuckling through his tears.  "I like that you're a fox."

"Really?"

"Yeah.  You wouldn't be Knight otherwise."

Knight's pout remained, but then he nodded.  "Nikko wouldn't be Nikko if you weren't human."  Then his hand came up to cling at Nikko's shirt.  "But Nikko, I'll be inside you forever, remember?"

He had said that, on their anniversary, after their agonizingly slow and amazing lovemaking session.  Nikko's cheeks pinked at the memory.  "That's right.  You'll always be here."  He touched his chest, over his heart.

Lip quivering, Knight nodded again, then tugged at Nikko's shirt.  "Can...  Can Nikko be inside me, too?"

Nikko's face lit on fire.  "Yo-You mean...?"

" _Please_ , Nikko."

It wouldn't fix anything, but if it was a comfort to Knight, Nikko wouldn't refuse.  He wanted it too.  So he nodded, covering Knight's hand with his own.  "Okay," he replied simply.

Then before he knew it, Knight had lifted Nikko, sweeping him off his feet, carrying him like a bride.  Both the coffee cup and the flowers were left behind as Knight carted him back into the house and up the stairs, and all Nikko could do was hold on and let himself be swept away with Knight's whim.

Knight carried him right onto the bed, gently laying him out, treating Nikko with care.  Always so honest with what he wanted, Knight wasn't shy about taking charge.  He pulled Nikko's clothes off and discarded them to the floor before removing his own, leaving the both of them in nothing but matching silver necklaces.

Then Knight moved down to lick a long trail along the length of Nikko's quickly growing erection.  Nikko moaned as all thoughts of everything flew out of his mind, until there was only Knight and this moment.  He saw stars as Knight lapped at the head of his dick, and when Knight sucked on the tip, running his tongue over the slit, Nikko cried out.  The onslaught was going to have him coming before he even had a chance to enter Knight.

But then Knight pulled away; Nikko wasn't sure if he were relieved or disappointed.

"Nikko," Knight said, sitting back on his knees.  "Nikko, do me too."

Nikko couldn't help a chuckle even as a blush spread over him.  His Knight was too cute for words and too gorgeous to resist.  Sitting up, Nikko took only a second to consider the best way to do this before he ran a finger along Knight's chest.  "Lay down on your back," he instructed softly, though he was burning up with nerves.

"Like this?" Knight questioned as he lay down with his head on the pillow.  He folded his legs up to his chest, holding them behind the knees as he had seen Nikko do so many times before.  His tail stuck out from between his legs, swishing back and forth, curling with excitement.

"Yeah," Nikko said.  His heart pounded, but he wanted this.  More than anything right then, he wanted – _needed_ – to be connected with Knight.  So he crawled in between Knight's legs, leaning down to kiss him, drawing it deep.  Their mouths opened, sharing a hot breath before their tongues met.  Nikko pressed closer, mashing their lips together, unable to get enough, and Knight must have dropped his legs because his arms suddenly wrapped around Nikko, holding him tight.

Then Nikko began thrusting his hips against Knight, grinding on him, letting their erections slide together.  Their balls pressed together, bodies aligned, and it felt so _good_ that Nikko had to break the kiss to throw his head back and moan loud.

"God, Knight," Nikko said through gasps.  "I love you _so_ much."

"Nikko..."  Then Knight whimpered as if suffering.  His fingers clutched at Nikko's flesh, digging in painfully, communicating his need with bruising fingerprints.  "Nikko, _please_."

"Okay," Nikko cooed as he pulled away slowly.  "Okay."  He moved to the nightstand to fetch the bottle of lubricant, and when he turned back he saw Knight had lifted his legs again, holding them tightly with an expectant look on his face.  It was almost unfair how he managed to be both adorable and sexy at the same time.  Nikko didn't stand a chance.

He moved Knight's tail out of the way before settling back between Knight's legs.  It was rare for him to do this, but this was Knight – _his_ Knight – and Nikko's hands moved with surety, not a shake or tremble, as he spread an amount of the gel over Knight's hole.  Knight was still as Nikko worked; his eyes were closed, like he was trying to concentrate on the feeling alone, and Nikko smiled.

"Are you ready?" Nikko asked softly.  "I'm going to start stretching you now."

Knight's eyes cracked open and he smiled.  "Okay, Nikko."

Nikko went slowly, though his fingers were small anyway.  Knight's body went still as he pressed in, but he didn't give a whine or whimper.  It was warm inside him, the temperature of a fox, and he grew warmer still as Nikko pressed the finger deeper in small thrusts.  Knight's virgin hole seemed to swallow him up.  "How is it?"

"It's okay!"

Nikko smiled, taken again by Knight's exuberance.  He would miss that.  "I'll do two, then."  And at Knight's acknowledging nod, Nikko pressed in a second finger.  It was tighter, and Knight seized up a bit, making Nikko pause.  "Are you alright?"

"Yes, Nikko."  Knight's voice had taken on an edge, but still he pleaded "Please do more."

"Okay," Nikko replied, smile still on his lips.  How could he deny such a request?  He pressed the two fingers in harder, deeper, thrusting in and out.  He saw Knight's fingers flexing in their hold on his legs; he seemed to be enjoying it.  So Nikko added a third finger, pressing in in a single motion, causing Knight to gasp and writhe.

"Nikko!"  Knight panted.  "Nikko..."

"Does it hurt?" Nikko asked, slowing his movements.

"N-No..." Knight answered.  "But it feels weird."

Nikko's smile softened.  "You'll get used to it.  Unless you want to stop?"

"No, Nikko!  Please!  Please do more."

And Nikko chuckled even as he pressed in again.  "Needy fox."  He took Knight's erection in his free hand as he continued thrusting fingers into his body, stroking him, making the loveliest sounds pull from Knight's throat.

"Nikko!" Knight whined, body taut, stiff tail rising and thudding down against the bed with each wave of pleasure that ran through him.  He was sensitive, and Nikko loved the way he could always tell how Knight was feeling.

Slowly, gradually, Nikko began to pull away, easing his way out of Knight's body.  Knight whimpered anyway, an addict with his drugs taken away.  Then Nikko reached for the lube again, slicking it over his cock.  He was sure he had never been so hard before in his life.

Knight pouted, whimpered softly as Nikko lay over him again.  "Are you ready?" Nikko asked.

"Yes," Knight breathed.  "Yes, Nikko, please."

So Nikko positioned himself, running the head of his dick over Knight's hole a few times, feeling heat and pleasure already.  Then he pushed in, and though he had planned on going slow, Knight's body seemed to pull him in.  With one smooth stroke, Nikko was seated fully inside Knight, their hips pressed flush together, as close as they could be.  Nikko breathed deep, trying to keep his wits about him, though it was difficult in the face of such overwhelming pleasure.

"Put-   Put your legs around me, like this," Nikko said, guiding Knight's long legs to wrap around his waist.

As soon as Knight's hands were free, he reached to pull Nikko to him.  "Nikko..." Knight moaned, his erotic voice driving Nikko insane.  "Nikko is inside of me."

A jolt shot straight from Nikko's heart to his dick, erection surging.  His fox was too hot; he was helpless.  He drew his hips back, then slammed back into Knight.  And again, and again.  He couldn't stop himself if he tried.  He didn't even bother.  Their hips crashed together in brutal thrusts, both moaning loud.

"Nikko!" Knight cried out.  "Nikko, more!"

Nikko rammed into him harder, unable to refuse.  Knight would be the end of him, one way or the other.  He wouldn't be able to live without Knight; he needed to claim him while he had the chance, had to mark him so deeply that even the gods knew who Knight belonged to when he passed on.

Knight's fingers dug into Nikko's back, carving painful scratches as he clung to Nikko for dear life.  It made Nikko cry out and push harder, a battle neither of them would come out of unscathed.  Those scratches would burn into Nikko's mind forever, second only to the look of pure bliss and love that displayed on Knight's face.

That face was almost Nikko's undoing.  It was all too much.  So he slipped a hand in between them, taking hold of Knight's stone-hard dick and jerking him off as he continued to pound into his body.

Knight's handsome face contorted, mouth opening wide as his cries rang out even louder.  His hands scrambled at Nikko's back, digging more scratches into his flesh.  "N-Nikko!"  And then his teeth clamped shut; a loud, keening moan pulled from his throat as he came, his seed shooting over Nikko's hand and both of their chests.  Knight's warm passage tightened around Nikko's cock, ripping Nikko's own orgasm from him.  He thrust into Knight once, twice more, then went still as he released long streams of cum deep inside Knight's body.

He felt like he was floating, until he crashed against Knight's chest.  Panting in harsh breaths, Knight's arms held Nikko tightly to him, safe and warm, never to be parted.

"Nikko..." Knight said when his breath had returned to him again.  His arms squeezed tighter.  "Now Nikko will be in me forever."

Nikko smiled, but it didn't last.

"I'm sorry, Nikko."  Then before Nikko could protest, Knight said "I know you said it's not my fault!  But... Nikko...  I promised I would never leave Nikko, but I will...  I'm sorry I lied."

Nikko's eyes went hot.  Dick still buried inside Knight, he rose up to meet Knight's sincere gaze.  "You didn't lie," Nikko said.

And slowly, Knight began to smile.  "Because I'll always be in Nikko's heart?"

"Yep."  Nikko smiled back, even if it hurt him so much to do so.  He would smile for Knight, for as long as he could.  He would make Knight's limited time happy.  "You understand metaphor," Nikko said next, both to change the topic and cheer Knight up with a compliment.  "I'm impressed."

"Of course!"  Knight's smile was bright.  "It's so easy!"

Then finally, Nikko lifted his hips, letting his dick slip free from Knight's body with a shudder.  He sat up on his knees as Knight's legs fell alongside him.  "Thank you for this, Knight."  His body warmed.  "It's... been a while since I got to...  Well, since I got to be the giver instead of the receiver."

Knight seemed to understand, as he smiled bright again.  "I liked it!  I want to do it again.  I want to do both ways."

"We absolutely will."  Then after leaning down for a kiss, Nikko crawled to the side of the bed and stood, moving towards the bathroom to wash up.

As he ran a wet washcloth over his chest, wiping up the lines of cum, he heard Knight say "I want to do both ways at the same time."

Nikko laughed, calling back "I'm not sure that's physically possible."  He tossed the washcloth in the hamper, then grabbed a fresh one and wet it with warm water, carrying it out to Knight.  "Though there is one thing we can do at the same time..."

"What's that?" Knight questioned as he took the offered washcloth and began to clean himself off with it.

Nikko's body went hot.  "Ah...  I'll show you later."  Then he located his pants and underwear from the floor and slipped them on.  "I'm going to get some water.  Would you like some?"

"Yes, please!"

This time, Nikko's smile was sincere, charmed by his adorable lover.  "Okay.  I'll be right back."

He padded his way downstairs just in time to see Queen viciously stuff a dark bundle into the garbage can.  The pink fox looked up at Nikko, a frown on his lips, and then his eyes narrowed.  "You two are gross."

Nikko smiled sheepish.  "Sorry."

Queen only gave a 'hmph' before turning to head back to his room.

He hadn't meant to snoop, but when Nikko passed by the garbage, he saw a piece of black and red cloth that he had seen before.  He pulled it out of the can, recognizing the coat Queen had been working on for Gus.


	51. Unworthy

 

 

 

Nikko had resisted the idea of a birthday party, but Knight had insisted they do _something_.  Queen didn't care either way, but when they decided on going out for dinner, he agreed to go for Nikko's sake, even though he really wasn't in the mood.  He was even less in the mood when he found out Gus would be going as well.

He was hurt.  Though he knew about Gus's feelings for Knight, he had thought, perhaps stupidly, that Gus was warming up to him.  Queen had convinced Nikko to hang out at Buck's house quite a bit, so he had been able to see Gus a lot, and they fucked most every time they saw each other.  Gus had even come to expect it, scent going sweet as soon as Queen walked in the door, like some kind of Pavlovian greeting.  So of course he had come to think they had something growing between them.

Seemed the big, dumb wolf hadn't agreed.

When they stood alone on the doorstep that double-date night, Queen had been his most charming as he told Gus that humans usually kissed at the end of dates.  And Gus's brows drew together as he asked "Why do you keep talking about dates?"

"Because this was our date, silly."  Queen played cute, even as his heart had squeezed painfully.

"Dates are for couples."

Queen had tried so hard to maintain his smile.  "Right, and we're kind of like a couple, right?"

"No."  Gus had been blunt, unable to speak with delicacy, like a human.  "Couples are like mates, but we're not mates, and I don't want to kiss you."

Queen's smile vanished as his heart broke.  He could feel the sharp glare forming on his face.  "You want to kiss _Knight_?"

Gus's head had turned away, thinking hard.

"Well, you can't!" Queen snapped.  Then he shoved with all his strength at Gus's chest, though it didn't move the wolf an inch, before storming back into the house.

"Queen?"

The knock at his door caused him to drop his phone, and it hit him in the face.  It was just as well – he had been looking at the picture they took at Starbucks that night, and why shouldn't his face hurt as much as his heart did?  When they had the picture taken, Gus had pressed close to Queen; it made him happy at the time, but looking at the photo now, he thought the way Gus stood was weird.  He was leaning really far down, bent to the right.  Rather than getting close, it looked more like he was trying to hide behind Queen – he was trying to hide his missing arm.

Queen frowned, but sat up as Nikko opened the door and again called "Queen?  We're leaving soon; are you ready to go?"

Still for a moment, Queen then slid off the bed and stepped over to Nikko, throwing arms around him and burying his face into Nikko's neck.  At least this silly, little human wanted him around.

He felt Nikko's hand rub up and down his back; it felt nice.  Then Nikko softly said "If you don't want to go, it's okay."

Queen shook his head.  "I want to celebrate your birthday."

"Okay," Nikko said, and then his hand moved to hold Queen tighter, returning the embrace.  They were quiet for a while, and then finally Nikko added "You'll have to put your tail away."

"I don't want to."

" _Queen_."  But there was a smile in Nikko's voice.

" _Fine_."  Queen pulled away and turned around, putting his back to Nikko.  "Do it for me."

 

 

 

 

Nikko had chosen a Japanese steak house for his birthday dinner.  Queen had never seen anything like it before, a huge table for eight with the stove in the center.  As they were sat, he saw chefs at other tables flipping eggs into the air and catching them in their pockets, or banging metal spatulas loudly, making a song to go along with the sound of searing meat and vegetables being chopped with flair.  It was amazing.

The long side of their table sat four, which was perfect for Nikko and his students.  They sat Bishop between Nikko and Knight, leaving Queen stuck on the corner, scowling when Gus moved to take the other corner chair.

"Gus," Nikko called in a friendly tone, making the wolf's eyes go wide.  "Wouldn't you like to sit by Knight?"  He gestured to the empty spot by the opposite corner, and Queen wanted to hug him all over again.  He hadn't said anything to Nikko, but somehow his teacher seemed to know.  Nikko was smart, for a human.

"Oh...  Yeah," Gus replied, and then he moved to sit by his friend.  Buck followed, laughing about something inane, and Queen was further relieved to find Penny taking the chair by him.  Maybe he could have some fun after all.

"Can you use chopsticks?" Queen asked Penny as the group marveled at the restaurant.

"Yes," Penny answered.  "Since I'm great at basically everything, it was easy for me to learn."

"Right?"  Queen smiled coy.  "It's so simple.  Just takes a steady, dominant hand.  Though I guess some people couldn't use them even with functioning hands."  He glanced towards Gus, but the big wolf didn't seem to notice the comments.  Probably didn't understand, or was too busy mooning over Knight.

Food was ordered, with sushi as an appetizer.  Queen loved it and Knight seemed to as well; the dogs not so much.  Queen commented that certain members of their party should be used to eating raw food like a wild beast, but then scowled and turned away when he saw Gus pushing his sushi plate over to Knight.

Their meals were prepared before them with all the tricks and sleight of hands the place was known for, small applause given for every stunt.  Then the chef said a " _Sayonara_ " and left them in a wake of thanks and appreciation.

Queen immediately took up his chopsticks, showing off how deft he was with them, a skill he had learned in the elegance chapters of his studies.  Penny was equally adept with them, and they shared a smile as she said "Lesson nine?"

"Yep!" Queen answered.  Then he glanced at Gus, who was attempting to spear a cube of steak with one of the wooden sticks.  It was kind of cute – too bad Queen was feeling vindictive instead of flirty.  "I guess some people wouldn't be able to get it even if they read the lesson."

Penny smirked.  "I hear wolves are especially bad with reading comprehension."

"All brawn and no brain."

Gus looked up at the two of them and his eyes narrowed, but his attention was soon pulled away by Buck yelling at a passing waitress "Hey, can we get a couple'a forks over here?"

"I'd like a fork too," Knight said with a smile.  "I've never learned how to use chopsticks."

That struck Queen as odd, since as far as he knew Knight was further along in his studies than Queen himself was.  Then again, it was Knight – he could very well have just been saying that to make Gus feel better.  If he didn't know any better, Queen would have sworn Knight was flirting with Gus even though he had a lover who was sitting _right there_.

Queen's lip curled in both Gus's and Knight's direction, but then he forced on a sweet smile and turned back to Penny.  "So, how are things going with Axle?"

"Axle?"  Penny's eyes widened, then turned away.  "I don't know what you mean."

"Aren't you mates by now?"  As if he didn't already know.

"Of course not.  I'm not going to get tied down like that."

Queen's smile twisted up.  "Oh?  So you wouldn't mind if I have a go at him?"

Penny snorted, saying "It's none of my business," but it didn't fool Queen for a second, and that was fine, since he didn't really have any intention of pursuing Axle.

"Great!" Queen replied.  "I'll have to hook up with him sometime."

"Axle doesn't even like guys," Penny said, fighting off a scowl.

"I'm sure I could change his mind."  He heaved a dramatic sigh.  "I'd like to get fucked by someone who can hold me in _both_ arms for once."

The other conversations happening at their table seemed to cut off instantly.  It had never been a secret that Queen and Gus had something sexual going on between them; those who actually understood what he had said were no doubt shocked by his words, since he had never given any indication that he was unsatisfied.

But Queen wasn't unsatisfied – he was hurt.  And if he was going to hurt, then Gus would too.  It was only fair.

"I mean..."  Queen continued.  "It would be nice to be with someone who has all of their body parts."

" _Queen_!" Nikko snapped, sending the first jolt of regret through him.  Nikko's mouth hung open slightly, dropped in shock, and everyone else around them looked much the same.  Buck looked pissed and Knight's heart seemed to have broken.  Even Bishop looked decidedly uncomfortable.  The only one who didn't seem to have understood his comment was Gus.

"That's..."  Penny had a deep scowl etched onto her brow when Queen turned back to her.  "That's going too far."

Queen went still.  Nobody understood him.  Nobody understood how he felt or even tried to.  Nobody cared why he lashed out.  Of course they didn't; nobody ever took his side.

He slammed his chopsticks down on the table and stood up, then bit his lip and walked away.  He left the table, left the restaurant, left his family behind, ignoring the voices that called out for him.

The restaurant was located inside the shopping mall, and that was perfect.  Queen would buy himself a new outfit – maybe two – placating himself with some retail therapy.  That would make him feel better.  He could fill up the hole burned into his heart with some new shoes.

He let his ears flick up as he stormed through the mall; they were tired, and he didn't care if people saw them and thought he was weird.  But then he heard pounding footsteps coming after him, and he turned.

Gus stood a few feet away, single fist clenched as tightly as his teeth were.  "What is wrong with you!?" the wolf yelled.

"You are!" Queen yelled back.  "Go back to Knight!"

"What are you talking about!?"

Queen growled.  He knew Gus was dense – was charmed by that trait and the honesty it held – but _damn_.  Get a clue.

People stared but Queen didn't care.  They were stupid, nosy humans.  He didn't even pay them any mind until he heard some dumb girl say "Ooh, couple fight."

"We're not a couple!" Queen snapped, though his heated gaze remained fixed on Gus.

"No, we're not," Gus replied in a sudden, still calm that took Queen by surprise.  Then Gus spread his arm as if to display himself fully.  "Who would want to be mates with me, when I'm like this?"

The pain Queen had felt stabbed tenfold through his gut when he realized just how awful he was.  He thought he might die from that pain, and he had no one to blame but himself.

There were two things Gus beat himself up over – his arm and his status as half-feral.  Queen knew about these things.  Even if he had only just started to understand how very deeply they scarred Gus, Queen had known they were there.  Gus thought he was unworthy of being anyone's mate because of these things.

Queen had prodded at both of Gus's deep wounds out of jealousy and spite.  He was an absolute shit.

If anyone was unworthy, it was Queen himself.

He saw Knight and Nikko, as well as Buck, jogging up from behind Gus; a mix of worry and anger were on their faces.  Queen didn't want to face any of them, so he turned his glare back to Gus and yelled "You're so stupid!" before turning and running away again.

They wouldn't be able to catch him.  Queen told himself that as he ran for the mall exit, but he could hear Gus right behind him, carried on long, powerful legs.  "Leave me alone!" Queen yelled as he darted through a set of closing automatic doors.  He gained a little more of a lead when Gus had to wait for the doors to open again, and rushed out into the parking lot.

"Why are you running!?" Gus called after him.

"Because you're-"

Queen cut off when the sound of screeching tires and a blaring horn screamed across the parking lot.  He stopped running instantly, turning with wide, horrified eyes to find Gus lying on the ground, a dented milkbox of a car stopped just a few inches away.  The woman behind the wheel of the car had a look of shock on her face and a phone in her hand.

"Gus!"  Queen ran back to the wolf, dropping to his knees and moving to cradle Gus's head just as the rest of their group finally caught up with them.

"Oh god, Gus!"  Buck was on them in a second, distraught, grabbing Gus's shoulder even as Gus looked up with confused golden eyes and a scowl.

The driver had exited her car, hand over her mouth as she sputtered "I- I'm sorry.  I didn't see him."

Gus stood, lifting out of everyone's concerned touches and shaking his head a bit as if to regain his senses.  "Ouch."  He didn't seem any worse for wear, though; the car had been tiny, after all, and Gus was huge.

The woman's eyes traveled up and up.  "Are...  Are you okay?  I'll call an ambulance."

" _No_ ," Buck said quickly.  They couldn't go to a regular hospital.

"But-"

"How 'bout we call the police instead?" Buck countered, sending a pointed scowl at the phone still clutched in her hand.

"N-No, I...  I mean..."  She backed down.  "As long as he's okay..."

"I'm fine," Gus said, rubbing the back of his head.  Honestly, the chick should have been more worried about her car.  Either way, she quickly retreated back to her car while sputtering apologies before quickly driving away.

When they were left alone, Buck put an arm around Gus.  "You really alright, buddy?  We can stop by the facility, if ya want."

"Nah, 's fine," Gus answered.  Then his golden gaze moved to Queen, looking confused and almost sad.

Wordlessly, Queen just turned away.


	52. The Writing's on the Wall

 

 

 

Soundless, Nikko cracked open the door to Queen's bedroom to look in on him.  The pink fox lay slightly curled on his side, his ruffled, white sheet pulled almost entirely over his head.  He must have been sound asleep, which was a comfort for Nikko.

Queen had been upset since his altercation with Gus.  He hadn't spoken about it yet, and Nikko didn't push, but it broke his heart seeing Queen sad and mopey.  He missed his vivacious and bratty Queen.

Downhearted, Nikko went to close the door, but stopped when he heard Queen call softly "Nikko?"

He pushed the door open again.  "Queen?  Are you alright?"

"No," Queen muttered as he sat up, rubbing at an eye.  "I'm a screw-up."

Nikko went into the room, closing the door behind him.  He had a little time.  "You're not a screw-up," he said as he sat next to the downtrodden fox.

"I am.  I want Gus to like me, but I always say the wrong thing.  And then I hurt him on purpose because I was jealous.  He should never forgive me, and he doesn't even realize it."

"You made a mistake," Nikko replied.  "Everyone makes mistakes, but as long as you recognize it, you can learn from it.  And you absolutely deserve forgiveness."

Queen was silent for a while, and Nikko hoped his words were getting through.  It wasn't like Queen to be so openly down on himself.  Finally, Queen simply said "Sorry for ruining your birthday dinner."

Nikko smiled.  "It wasn't ruined.  We still got to see the show, and the food was just as good at home."

Queen just shrugged like he didn't believe him.  Then a moment later, he pulled at Nikko's tie.  "Are you going to work?"

"Yeah," Nikko answered.  "The new school year starts next week, so I have to go to meetings and set up my room and stuff."

"Oh.  Well...  Have fun."

Nikko chuckled lightly.  "I'm sure it'll be a blast."  Then he pet Queen's ears, soothing.  "Will you be okay?"

"I'd be better if I had chocolate."

That brought another smile to Nikko's face – that glimmer of his demanding Queen.  "I'll see what I can do."

 

 

 

 

One of the few advantages their previous home had was that it was close enough to Shochu Elementary for Nikko to walk if he wanted.  The new house was too far away, forcing him to take the bus, leaving him at the mercy of bus schedules and moody drivers.  Some days it seemed like everyone in the city was taking the same bus, forcing it to stop at every single stop on the route.  On those days, the trip seemed to take so long, and though Nikko knew he wouldn't get in trouble if he were late to work because of a delayed bus, it still sent him into an anxiety-ridden fit whenever it happened.

His first day back to the school in weeks was not one of those days, thankfully.  He was deposited at the bus stop two blocks away at the usual, reasonable time, and was able to take his time walking to the brick building.

As Nikko neared the front gate, however, a sense of unease came over him.  His coworkers – the principal and vice-principal, staff and other teachers – were crowded outside, staring at the building and talking amongst themselves.  When a couple of other teachers saw Nikko approach, a silence fell over them.

And then Nikko saw what they saw.  His jaw dropped and his chest clenched tightly as his eyes grew hot.  Principal Johnson stepped up to him and squeezed his arm in a gesture of comfort, whispering "Nikko..."  But he couldn't pull his gaze away from what stood before him.

The entire front of the school had been spray-painted in huge, black letters that burned themselves into Nikko's mind like hellfire.

'KRAKOWSKI IS A FAGGOT.'

 

 

 

 

They knew who did it.  There was no question about it.  The same natural-born bully who would dare sucker-punch a teacher in the back of the head would no doubt have the gall to graffiti up an elementary school.  Another call was made to his mother, but Nikko didn't bother sitting in on it.  Instead, he slunk away to his classroom, closing the door.  He needed to be alone.

He was scared.

Honestly, after all this time, he should be used to this.  Coming out was never a one-time thing – every time he met a new person, he had to decide whether or not to tell them of his sexuality, and it was still so hard for Nikko.  He had never told his co-workers, and he feared the backlash.  He knew he couldn't get fired over it – there were hard-fought laws against that – but he still had to work with these people.  And what if parents found out and complained?  He had worked so hard for the career he loved, and the thought of losing it all because of some unstable kid devastated him.

Moving slowly, in a daze, Nikko went through the motions of setting up for the new year.  He would get his class roster at the afternoon meeting, but he went about tidying up and making sure all the textbooks that would be handed out on the first day were in order.  He went over his syllabus and made sure he had enough materials and ran through his memorized first-day script.  He ate his lunch, he flipped through some pictures on his phone, and he just breathed.

When it was time for the meeting, Nikko slipped quietly into the teachers' room, avoiding the gazes he knew were on him.  Everything proceeded like normal, though, the same as every other year, save for the wide berth everyone seemed to give him.  He received his class roster, a comfortable twenty-five students this year, and submitted his syllabus when requested.  Like always.

It wasn't until the end, after business-as-usual was taken care of, that Principal Johnson stood before the gathered faculty and sighed.  Nikko's anxiety kicked up to eleven.

"All right," Rita Johnson started.  "We need to clear the air in here about what happened this morning.  I know you all saw the graffiti out there and I assure you it will be cleaned up before any of the students see it.  It was the work of a former student with a vendetta, and he will be having a chat with the authorities."  She paused, and then took a deep breath.  "I pride this school on its diversity, on its acceptance, and on its dedication to creating a safe and welcoming place for everyone, students and staff alike.  I hope we can move past this and continue providing a comfortable learning environment for the community."

Her speech was met with murmurs and nods, and for a moment Nikko dared hope it would all blow over and be forgotten.

Until Richard Cox spoke up, saying "Okay, but...  Is it true?"

Everyone turned to Nikko, and it was like a nightmare.  He wanted to scream that it was none of their business; he wanted to flee from the room; he wanted to cry.

He wanted to tell them everything.

All he could do, though, was grip the sheaf of paper in his hands – the roster and profiles of the kids he would come to know and love in the following year – and sputter stupidly.  He got out little more than "I-  I-  I mean-  T-That's-"  His hands began to tremble violently.

"That matter is Nikko's private business," Rita said, commanding attention.  "Our only concern is his work performance, and there is no doubt..."  She looked squarely at him then, one side of her lips pulling up.  "Nikko is a damn good teacher."

It struck a chord in Nikko, even if all he could do in reply was stare with his mouth agape.

"Now, then," Rita continued.  "We're done here, so I'll see you all on Mon-"

" _Wait_."

Nikko was on his feet before he realized he had spoken, once again the subject of everyone's gaze.  He wasn’t sure why he did, but it felt important to him.  He thought of his beloved pups who were fighting to understand how to be human – how could Nikko teach them if he couldn't even face humans himself?  He thought of Queen, determined to live his life with his head held high; he thought of Bishop, imposed to solitude because of a fear he couldn't see.  They had the strength to survive their fate – Nikko wanted to be strong too, for them and for himself.

"It's true," Nikko said out loud.  His voice was quiet at first, but soon gained volume and power.  "It's true, and I want you all to know.  I am gay; I always have been.  I hope it doesn't change your opinion of me, because I'm still the same person I was before today.  I'm still your colleague and... friend."

He thought of Knight, whose smile lit up his world and made life _worth_ living.

"And also, I...  I have a partner.  We've been together for a while, and he means the world to me.  I hope you can meet him someday."

The room fell silent, until Rita smiled, saying "You should bring him to the next pot luck."

Nikko went blank for a moment, but then he smiled back softly.  His voice went quiet again.  "I- I will."

"He's a lucky guy," Mary Merrywether said.

"Is he cute?" Jen Bellfield asked, drawing a chorus of chuckles from the gathered faculty.

Nikko breathed a laugh even as his ears went pink.  "He's the cutest."

By the time Nikko left the school, hours later, many, if not _most_ of the other teachers had stopped by his classroom to offer words of encouragement and congratulations.  There were still the few who instead avoided him, and he received a few reproachful looks – mostly from the older or more religious among them – but overall, the response was positive.

Nikko was emotionally drained.

It sapped his energy, his steps heavy and dragging as he carried himself to the bakery before making his way home.  When he finally stepped through the front door, faced with his beautiful, waiting Knight, the rollercoaster turmoil of the day at last caught up with him, and he fell into Knight's arms.

"Nikko?" Knight said, confused and concerned.

Nikko just held tightly to his fox, face pressed to Knight's chest as tears squeezed out from clenched-shut eyes.

 

 

 

 

He felt better after a good cry, and the mini freak-out it sent Knight into was adorably heart-warming.  And after his eyes ran dry and his heart settled, he sat with his family and told them everything that had happened as they shared the package of cupcakes Nikko had bought.

"See?" Queen said as he took another bite out of the chocolate cupcake that was picked out especially for him.  It left a smear of frosting on his nose.  "I told you human society was stupid."

"Well, it seems to be okay for now," Nikko replied.  "I actually feel...  Mm...  Like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders, now that they know.  I don't need to sneak around or make excuses anymore.  It's kind of freeing."

"What will become of the child who painted the building?" Bishop asked, his vanilla cupcake already long gone.

"He's out of our school now, so there isn't much we can do but report the vandalism to the police.  I just hope he forgets his grudge against me more sooner than later."

Knight's brows drew together in determination.  "I'll protect Nikko!"

Nikko chuckled.  "Well, he's just a kid."  Hopefully he would get bored soon.

"Nikko..."  Knight's voice was two steps above a whisper.  "Nikko is very strong."

Something in that made Nikko warm with blush.  "It's... only because of you guys."  But he managed to look up.  His gaze met Knight's, and they shared a smile.


	53. Kiss Again

 

 

 

He heard the tapping like an echo in his dream.  His body resisted getting up, assuring him that it was just a tree branch beating against the window, but even half-conscious he remembered that there was no tree near his window.  There were some hedges, but they had all been trimmed neatly, not a stray twig or leaf that could touch the plane of glass that separated him from the outside world.

Reluctantly, his eyes opened.  The room was dark, though enough moonlight filtered in for Queen to be able to see well enough, especially once his eyes adjusted.

The tapping at his window wasn't rhythmic by any means, not like something being carried against it in the wind.  There would be a ' _plink_ ', and then silence for a second or two or three, and then another.  Two in succession had Queen sitting up in bed, and then a smattering of sand, a very localized hail storm, rained against the window, making Queen's body tense and tail bristle, if only for a moment.

Slipping from the bed, Queen pushed open his hand-made, frilly, pink curtains and saw Gus standing in the front yard, another load of pebbles and lawn in hand.  He dropped it and his tail started to wag when he saw Queen at the window.

Queen thought about going back to bed.  Gus didn't want him and it was just as well.  They would only end up hurting each other, and he didn't understand the human emotions that coursed through him enough to know if it would be worth it to continue this game that they played.  But when Gus's tail stopped moving, when the hopeful look that had lit up his handsome face fell, Queen relented.

"Why are you here?" Queen asked once the window was open, letting in the warm night air.

"I-"  Then Gus's jaw set.  "I'm stupid."

"I know that," Queen replied.  "But why are you here?"

"I think you like me."

Queen wanted to smack himself in the forehead as much as he wanted to fly out the window and tackle Gus to the grass in a fit of passion.  "What gave you that silly idea?"

"Well..."  Gus looked down at his single hand, clearly not recognizing sarcasm.  "Because you seem to like spending time around me and touching me, and you... you smell nice around me."

"So?"

"Just tell me if I'm right or not!"

"You are!"  They fell silent for a moment, before Queen continued.  "I do like you, okay?  I thought you could tell."

"Even though I'm like this?"  Gus's hand came up then, clutching at what remained of his right arm.  His face looked tormented, terrified.

Queen snorted and looked away.  "Of course.  Maybe because of it."

"How?"

"Your will to live.  Your ability to adapt."  Then Queen looked back at Gus.  "It's beautiful, you know."

Gus frowned.  "I want to kiss you."

"Even after I said so many mean things to you?"

"You did?"

Queen closed his eyes and sighed, and then he started to laugh.  "You're so dumb," he said as he wiped away a tear of mirth and relief.  "I love it."

Gus looked absolutely stricken, but then he smiled.  "Step away from the window for a sec."

"What?"

"Just do it.  Move."

So Queen stepped away, fairly sure of what was about to happen but no less impressed when Gus gracefully leapt through the window, clearing the hedges in a single bound and landing balanced on the frame.  The moonlight surrounded him in a halo, a midnight phantom, making him glow.  He grinned, and if Queen weren't already in love with the guy, he would have been right then.

Gus hopped from the window into the room, and Queen closed the glass and curtains behind him.  It suddenly seemed like neither of them knew what to say; they stood silently looking at each other for a while, and only after Gus took a step toward him did Queen finally ask "What about Knight?"

"Knight?"

"Don't you like him?"

After a moment, Gus nodded, and it was painful.  "I did...  I do..."  Then he huffed a growl and scratched his head.  "I _did_.  I... don't know.  Knight always made me feel like it was okay that I'm feral.  He treated me the same as he treats everyone, like it didn't matter that I'll always be an animal.  I appreciate that about him."  Gus's eyes moved back to Queen then, focused, intense in a way only a wolf could be.  "But _you_.  You make me feel like it's possible for me to be human."

Queen smiled; his heart warmed.  Then he batted his eyelashes.  "Do you want to kiss like a human?"

Gus's lip quirked up.  "Yeah.  Show me how."

So Queen stepped closer, pressing against Gus's broad chest.  He slid his arms around Gus's neck and instructed "Put your arm around my waist."  He immediately felt worlds more secure and stable when Gus did so.  He purred.  "Now lean down and press your lips to mine."

And slowly, Gus did.  He seemed to be trying to be careful, conscious of his size, and when his lips finally touched Queen's, it was soft.  He didn't push; Queen had to be the one to rise up on his toes and press harder, pulling Gus closer to him with his arms.

They stayed like that, mouths pressed together, and Queen felt warmth flooding all through him.  It pulled at his chest, until he suddenly broke the kiss to bury his face into Gus's neck.  His arms tightened and he felt Gus's do the same.  He wondered if this was how Nikko felt in Knight's arms – no wonder the two couldn't get enough of each other.

"Carry me to the bed," Queen said next.

Without question, Gus's arm slid down, catching under Queen's ass and lifting him effortlessly.  It was only a step and a half to the bed, and then Gus dropped Queen on the mattress, climbing over him afterwards.  The comfortable and familiar weight of Gus's body on top of him erased much of the turmoil Queen had felt over the past few days.

"This time we, uh..."  This one was a bit trickier.  "We lick each other's tongues."

"Okay," Gus said, having absolute faith.  Then he leaned down again, and Queen opened his mouth.  Their tongues came out, and Queen leaned up to lick at Gus, tasting him, then Gus did the same, lapping at Queen's tongue.  Queen lifted again, chasing Gus's tongue, licking along the side of it.  A small, playful war started, seeing who could get the most licks in, until they both gave up, laughing and breathless.  With a final chuckle, Gus said "Humans are weird."

"I know," Queen replied, and then he delivered one more chaste kiss to Gus's lips.  His hands moved up to bury into Gus's hair, feeling the silken fire strands between his fingers before going for Gus's ears.  He rubbed at the large ears, and Gus absolutely melted in his hands.  It was so cute, seeing the big wolf nuzzle into the touch, and Queen was overcome with the desire to apologize for what he had said before.

Instead, he pulled his hands away.

"Get up," Queen said, watching Gus's face go puzzled.  "I want to undress."

That got Gus moving quickly, the wolf's sweet scent of arousal beginning to fill the room like heavy smoke.  He sat up on his knees and Queen slid out from under him, standing with a twirl.

"Sit with your back against the headboard," Queen instructed, and Gus listened, so compliant.  And then Queen slowly began to unbutton his pajama shirt, trying to be tantalizing.  He didn't know if Gus understood seduction or appreciated the show at all, but the wolf was quiet and his eyes remained on Queen as the top was pulled away.  When Queen turned his back to Gus and slowly slid his pajama pants and underwear off, giving his tail an extra little swish, the wolf's scent surged, overwhelming.

Queen chuckled as he turned back around, striking a pose.  Gus grinned, showing off his teeth, and then Queen crawled back onto the bed.  He straddled Gus's lap and pulled at the wolf's t-shirt until Gus raised his arm to allow the material to be pulled over his head, and then Queen's mouth was immediately on Gus's neck, sucking on and nipping at the warm, salty flesh.  Gus's hand slid along Queen's back, moving down to grab his ass, making his already leaking erection throb.

"Do you have that stuff?" Gus asked into Queen's ear, voice a rough growl.

"Yeah," Queen answered, and though he was loathe to pull away, he moved to reach the stand by his bed.  From it he pulled the bottle of lubricant he had gotten from Knight when he had asked the other fox just how two males socialized.  This relationship had been a learning experience for Queen and Gus both, but they had the mechanics figured out by now.  It was just their feelings for one another that needed working out.

Queen passed the bottle to Gus, then resumed lapping and sucking on his neck as the big wolf drizzled the gel down the cleft of his ass.  His teeth sank into Gus's flesh when the first large finger entered him, and then he licked the mark he had left as that finger began to thrust in and out of him, loosening his hole and making his breath hitch.

It stung when the second finger was added, and then it felt very good.  Queen moaned and pushed back on Gus's fingers, fucking himself on the rough hand as Gus pressed into him.  He clung to Gus's shoulders, panting "More, _more_ ," and was barely any more satisfied when a third finger was added.  "That feels so _good_ ," he moaned.

"I wanna be inside you," Gus said, gruff, as his fingers continued to open up Queen's hole.

"I want your knot in me," Queen answered.

Then Gus growled.  His hand pulled from Queen and began tugging at the last stitch of clothes between them.  Queen helped, tugging Gus's pants down while the wolf lifted his hips.  Gus's dick was hard and ready, practically begging to be ridden.

Queen leaned in again, kissed Gus again.  They licked each other's tongues and rubbed their erections against each other, riling each other up until it seemed Gus couldn't take it anymore.  He pulled away, huffing, then asked "Are we gonna do it like this?"

"Yeah," Queen replied.  His arms slid around Gus's neck.  "Face to face, like humans."

Rising up on his knees, Queen positioned himself over Gus's cock while Gus held himself in place.  Then, slowly, Queen lowered onto the thick erection, his body easily opening up to accept what he craved.  They both moaned and panted as each inch slid along Queen's walls to bury deep in his body, wanting more of which Gus had plenty to give.  He felt so full, so complete, when he was finally seated in Gus's lap, their bodies connected perfectly.

Then they began to rock together, driving Queen out of his mind.  Gus gave small thrusts up as best he could, difficult from a sitting position, but Queen was left to do most of the work, which suited him fine.  He set the pace he liked, neither brutal nor agonizing, sliding up and down on Gus's cock in steady strokes.  His arms clung to his big, strong wolf as he rode his dick.  Gus's hand planted on Queen's lower back, around the base of his tail, warm and comforting.  Their tongues came out again, licking at each other as Queen moved.

Then Queen felt the hitch, flesh catching at the rim of his hole.  Gus's knot was growing; he was getting closer to release.  Queen continued to bounce on the large dick until it stuck completely, stopping the ride, then he changed to rotating his hips instead.

"Shit."  Gus's hand flexed, grabbing Queen's tail.  "I'm-  I'm gonna-"  His face was contorted and beautiful – Queen liked seeing him like this.  That lovely expression made Queen all the harder, rushing close to his own orgasm.

"Me too," Queen panted.  His dick rubbed against Gus's abs, but it wasn't enough.  He needed more stimulation.  He was just about to reach down and stroke himself when Gus's hand moved, slipping between them to grab Queen's cock.  Gus pumped him in a tight fist and Queen cried out, not lasting three strokes before his body was wracked with orgasm.  He threw his head back, moaning loud.  His cum was still pouring out of him when Gus suddenly went ridged and leaned in to press his face into Queen's exposed neck.  Gus came hard with a grunt and a moan – human sounds of pleasure.

Their panting breaths filled the room.  Queen fell against Gus, who fell against the headboard of the bed.  They clung to each other, never wanting to let go, until Queen was hit with the irrational fear that perhaps he had misinterpreted Gus's feelings again.  Maybe this was just another fuck; maybe Gus just wanted to have fun with him, and then would get rid of him.

Queen sat back suddenly and looked Gus square in the eyes.  Gus still panted lightly, and there was something like vulnerability in his face.  "So?" Queen asked, taking a few more heavy breaths.  "Are we going to be mates or not?"

"I..."  Then Gus looked away – Queen didn't let him.  A finger on his chin forced Gus's gaze back to Queen's face and their eyes locked.  Queen knew this would be uncomfortable for a wolf – it was nerve-wracking for Queen himself – but he had to show the gravity of his question.  The gaze held for a moment, and then Gus shook his head free, eyes turning away again, but he seemed to get the point.  "I want to."

Queen's heart leapt.  He wanted to wag his tail, but the knot still buried inside him made too much movement send shivers of overstimulation through him.  "Really?"

"Yeah," Gus answered.  "I mean..."

A tremor of fear ran through.  "You mean..."

"You mean, like, _mates_ , right?  Me an' you?"

"Yes, silly.  Who else?"

Gus's hand lifted to scratch his head, working things out.  "I just wanna make sure I understand.  Like, you really wanna be my mate?  Even though I'm... broken?"

"Yes," Queen said again, and then he kissed Gus's forehead.  "I really want to, because you're perfect."

Gus looked back, and this time there was a smile on his face.  "Then, let's do it.  Let's be mates."  And then his confused expression returned, already so endeared to Queen.  "Uh...  Do we have to do anything?"

Queen laughed, and then answered "I think we have to kiss again."

So Gus stuck his tongue out again and Queen licked it, then the gesture was returned.  They fell into a fit of giggles before Queen leaned against Gus again.  Finally, finally, he felt safe and warm.  He wouldn't be used or discarded again.

Held to his wolf by Gus's arm and knot both, Queen fell back into a restful sleep.

 

 

 

 

He woke up to the smell of pancakes.  It reminded Queen that Nikko would be going back to work the next day, and he hoped whatever sadness had plagued their teacher all summer was at least partially resolved.  At the very least, Nikko had seemed happier the past few days.

A weight lay across Queen's waist, and he smiled.  He would be happier from here on too.

Gus must have laid them down properly once the knot freed them because they were lying length-wise in bed, with Queen lying on top of Gus, who basically took up the entirety of the mattress.  However they got into that position, Queen had slept through it all.  He rose and fell along with Gus's chest, taking in deep breaths of slumber, and it made him giggle softly.

Wiggling out from under the arm that held him, Queen stretched, and then looked down at the lovely wolf on his bed.  The smile on his lips was never ending.  He began to hum to himself as he searched for clothes, tail curling at the promise of pancakes, and he ultimately decided to just grab Gus's t-shirt off the floor and throw it on.  It was like a dress on him.

Queen quietly left his room and stepped into the living room, and was greeted with the sight of Knight and Nikko's backsides, both in nothing but their sleep shorts.  Nikko stood at the dining room table, hands still on a plate as though he had been interrupted in his place-setting; Knight stood behind him, one hand on Nikko's hip.  Their heads were turned towards each other, eyes closed, lips locked.  Queen watched as if in awe as their mouths moved against each other, then a breath of space appeared, showing their tongues wrapping around each other before the gap was closed again.

"Huh.  Looks like we were doin' it wrong."

Queen jumped, startled at Gus's sudden appearance.  And then his eyes went wide, turning back to Knight and Nikko.

Slowly, every movement laced with fear, yellow and brown eyes turned to look at the wolf in horror.

 

 

 

 

"He won't tell anyone," Queen assured once again as he stuffed another forkful of pancakes in his mouth.  "He said he wouldn't."

They had sat Gus down, let him have his way with a plate of bacon that Queen was sure was some kind of bribe, and explained very carefully that what he had seen was a secret.  They pleaded with him not to tell anyone, and Gus readily agreed.  Perhaps too readily, from the way Nikko fretted.

"I just... hope he fully understood," Nikko said, his own plate of pancakes untouched.  He was fully dressed now – overly so, leaving nothing exposed despite the lingering end-of-summer warmth.

"Are you implying my mate is dumb?" Queen asked with as much offense as he could muster while indulging on sweet, maple heaven.  Nikko only stared at him, and finally Queen's lip quirked up.  "Okay, but I'm sure he won't tell.  It'll be fine."  He popped in another bite of pancake, then said "Gus is smart in his own way, you know."

Nikko smiled at last.  "I'm sure he is.  Your room looks amazing."

Queen beamed, but didn't get a chance to say anything more as Bishop wandered into the dining area, holding a long, white envelope.  "This was stuck in the mail slot," the dog said quietly.

Nikko raised a brow as he took the envelope, saying "There's no mail on Sunday..."  Bishop only shrugged as he sat and his tail started to wag when Knight pushed what was left of the bacon over to him, even though Bishop had already had at least two breakfasts since Queen came out.  "There's no address," Nikko mused next.

"Then how was it delivered?" Knight asked, expression curious.

"It must have been brought here directly."  Then Nikko opened the envelope, removing a single sheet of white paper.  Through the thin paper, Queen recognized the all too familiar logo printed at the top, even as Nikko said in a tight voice "It's from the company."

Everyone went still.  The scent of apprehension filled Queen's nostrils, making him sick.  He put his fork down, hands falling to his lap.  "Well...  What does it say?"

"To all teachers and students in the service of Chief Coordinator Jack," Nikko read out loud.  The paper trembled.  "This notice is to inform you of the retirement of our Chief Coordinator, Jack, effective immediately.  Jack has been an asset to our organization, and we wish him all the best in his future endeavors."

Nikko paused, his face contorting into something both angry and terrified as his hands gripped the paper in tight, balled fists, crinkling the helpless sheet, threatening to tear.

"Nikko?"  Knight's voice was a whisper; his hand moved to grip Nikko's shirt.

The reading continued in a strained tone.  "Jack's title and duties shall hereby be overseen by our new Chief Coordinator, Kit."


	54. Ownership

 

 

 

Jack sighed as soon as he heard the beep indicating his changes to the database had been saved.  As far as anyone else would know, Knight was a mere three years old, and had only been with his teacher for a year.  It was all he could think of to protect Knight and give him as much time as possible with Nikko, but even as he worked to erase the log of database changes, he knew it wouldn't be enough.  They would figure out what he was doing sooner or later, and then they would destroy him.

It would be worth it, though.  Jack had a soft spot for Knight, having looked after him for four years while searching for a teacher.  Most of their students were paired up with teachers within a year of leaving the labs – Knight had taken five, altogether, and Jack would forever be grateful that Nikko came along when he did.  He was even more grateful that Nikko made Knight so happy.  He would do whatever it took to protect them.

A knock came to his office door, startling Jack out of the calm he had achieved.  He opened the door to find himself faced with a doberman – one of the security force.  Most people, even the other coordinators, had a hard time telling the dobermans apart visually.  They all looked the exact same, and only the animals knew who was who by scent, though most of the coordinators and staff couldn't be bothered to learn their names.

Jack, however, knew each of them by sight, knew their varied personalities and traits, likes and dislikes.  He knew all of their names, and knew they each chose names that started with an 'R', like some kind of inside joke among them.  "Ryan," he greeted, showing his professionalism. Ryan was young, and would be comforted by the structure of rank.  "How may I help you?"

"The president wishes to see you," came the reply.  "I've been sent to escort you."

Jack immediately went tense.  Something was amiss.  If Hunter wanted to see him, he could have called and Jack could have gone to the president's office on his own.  He had never needed an escort before; one being sent now had alarms sounding in Jack's mind.  All he said, though, was "All right" as he stepped out of his office and closed the door.

The walk through the administration wing was silent, Jack running through every possible scenario in his mind.  Perhaps his unauthorized changes to the database had been discovered, or perhaps someone had finally noticed that he hadn't processed a sale or a graduation in over a year.  Perhaps Hunter wanted rabbit stew.  Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good, but Jack vowed to keep his head held high either way.

They reached the large, looming door, and Ryan gave it a knock before opening it, then stepped aside to let Jack by.  Jack gave a courteous nod, and then passed through the gate to whatever lay beyond.

Hunter Nguyen sat behind his atrociously large desk, hands folded on its marble top, with a perfect and frightening smile on his face.  He greeted with "Hello, Jack," sending shivers down the rabbit's spine.

"Good evening, Sir," Jack replied.  "You had need of me?"

Hunter stood, rounding about his desk to approach Jack.  The proximity was discomforting.  So was Hunter's question of "Do you have your phone on you, Jack?"

"Of course, Sir."

"Let me see it."

It was an even more suspicious demand, but Jack couldn't refuse.  He belonged to this human, no life of his own, so without hesitation he pulled out his cell phone and turned it over.

Hunter took the phone and slid it into his own pocket without explanation, then turned and began walking back to his desk.  "I have good news for you, Jack."  He sat casually on his desk when he reached it, unaware or unconcerned about the fear radiating off of Jack.  "Your retirement has been decided."

Jack's heart sped up; his mind began to race.  "My retirement, Sir?"

"You're old, Jack.  You're what, twelve years old?"

"Yes, Sir."

"See?  You're already past your prime.  I want you to be able to relax with the little time you have left."

"Sir..."  Jack spoke cautiously.  "I'm quite healthy and really have no interest in retiring."

Hunter smiled a beautiful devil's smile.  "It's not up to you."

Jack didn't argue; he didn't dare.  It would only make things worse.  So instead, he asked "Where will I go?"

"That's a good question."  Hunter stepped away from his desk again, prowling around the room as he spoke, drawing ever closer to Jack.  "Since you're not really human, you don't really have a place in the world, do you?"  He had moved behind Jack by the time he asked "Where would you like to go?"

"I...  I suppose I could return to Micaela.  Surely he wouldn't mind taking me in once more."

Hunter stood right behind Jack.  "Unfortunately, Micaela thinks you're dead.  I had to tell him myself; it was so sad."  Then Hunter leaned in to whisper into Jack's ear.  "He cried for you, Jack."

Jack's heart seized.  Micaela was tender-hearted and kind; it was easy to picture his tear-stained face, heartbroken over a lie.  Jack had to get to him, to tell him the truth, about everything.

He hadn't had a chance to speak before Hunter moved again, coming to face Jack again.  His dark eyes roamed over Jack's body as he said "Don't worry, Jack.  I'll take care of you."  Then his hand came up to caress along Jack's cheek before burying into Jack's hair.  "Ah, but unfortunately, my wife is allergic to animals.  You'll have to stay here, in my office."

He was going to make Jack into his personal pet.  There was no way he could live like that.  "Sir, please.  I-"

Without warning, Hunter grabbed Jack's ears, yanking hard to force Jack's head back.  Jack yelped in shock and pain, feeling as though his ears would be ripped from his head, but the anguished sound only seemed to please Hunter more.  The man grinned, baring teeth before leaning in to nip at Jack's exposed throat.  "You're mine, Jack."  Then Hunter released him, taking a step back to say "Pack whatever personal affects you wish to keep.  You have five minutes."

The door opened again, Ryan standing at the ready.  Jack slowly stepped back, but his eyes never left Hunter.  There was no way to escape; he couldn’t fight off or outrun a doberman.  His life was over.  He hadn't done nearly enough for the other animals.

Jack took the lead heading back to the office, short legs carrying him as quickly as he could go.  When they reached the office, he let the door shut in Ryan's face, then ran for his computer.  He had to save as many students as he could.  His fingers flew across the keyboard, changing ages, changing dates, changing pending graduations.  He needed to protect everyone – he only got through five students before an error message popped up on the screen.

' _Unauthorized Access – Save Request Denied._ '

He tried again, again.  Each time the same error message appeared.  He had been kicked out of the system.

Jack screamed and pounded a fist on the keyboard, an uncharacteristic show of temper but cathartic all the same.  Then he scrambled for the phone on his desk, but he only got the first three digits of Nikko's phone number dialed before his office door opened, and then his whole body froze.

Kit stood there, smug smile in place.  It couldn't possibly have been coincidence for him to show up now.  "Congratulations on your retirement, Jack.  I hope I can live up to all your hard work."

This was planned, all of it.  The students were doomed; all of Micaela's hard work was officially twisted and tainted for the sake of money.  Jack was the last thread of integrity the company had, and those only interested in power and wealth were finally getting rid of him.  Jack wanted to fight tooth and nail, but he was helpless.

He grabbed a plush rabbit – a little, white one, holding a decorative box – from the corner of his desk, then stormed over to where Kit stood.  "You are a traitor to animals," he said, venom in his voice.

"Get out of my office," was Kit's only reply.

Furious and terrified, Jack clutched the toy rabbit as he left the office for the last time.  Ryan fell into step beside him as he headed towards his fate, then once again the doberman moved forward to open Hunter's office door for him.  With a deep breath, Jack stepped up to the awaiting chasm, but then he stopped.

Whirling, he faced Ryan again.  For the first time in his life, he felt his eyes go wet.  "Tell Russell!" he cried out, surprising himself.  "Tell Russell I'm sorry!  Tell him I miss him!  Tell him I-"  He choked, bit his lip.  "Tell him I'm sorry..."

Ryan only nodded, and after a frozen moment, Jack turned again to face his future.

The soft sound of the door closing seemed to deafen him.  Jack kept his gaze down, even as Hunter said "I didn't think you were the type to care for toys."

"It was a gift," Jack replied quietly.

"You didn't bring anything else?"

"I don't have anything else."  He had never put much stock into material things, more interested in using his short life to make memories.  Memories of Micaela laughing and cheering him on as he learned how to be human, of meeting Russell for the first time, then just a silly young pup in training, the memory of Knight's brilliant smile when he had finally found a teacher who would care for him.  Memories were what Jack held dear, and they wouldn't be taken from him.

"It's just as well," Hunter said, and Jack figured that would be the case.  "I've prepared a bed for you, Jack."  He gestured to a large dog bed in the corner of the office.  Lying on top of it was a shining and ominous silver chain attached to a metal panel on the wall.  It made Jack's heart speed up, wanting to flee as Hunter continued with "It's not much, but I think it'll do."

Jack didn't say anything.  He remained perfectly still, waiting for whatever would happen to happen.

Hunter was still as well, but only for a moment.  He pulled something from a drawer in his desk, and then said "I have something for you.  A present," as he strolled over to Jack.  A glittering, metal band, shining silver, elegant in its own way.

Jack took a step back.

"It's a congratulatory gift, to celebrate your retirement."  Then Hunter stepped close and slipped the collar around Jack's neck.  From his pocket he pulled out a small padlock, showing it to Jack with a smile before affixing it to the collar.  The lock clicking into place seemed to punctuate Jack's sealed fate.

"It's beautiful," Hunter said, trailing a finger along the metal collar.  His finger found the small loop where a lead would be attached and slipped in.

Then he tugged, hard.  Jack was pulled almost clear off his feet, stumbling forward as he was dragged by the throat over to the dog bed.  Another padlock appeared, attaching the chain to his collar, enslaving him.  Jack dropped his plush rabbit to grip the collar in both hands, praying for it to come free, but it was useless.  He pulled on the chain, but it held fast to the wall.

Hunter laughed.  "I like watching you struggle, _Jack_.  But I like when you're obedient even more."

Jack ceased his yanking and looked at his captor, but remained silent.  There were no words to save him now.

"Take off your clothes, Jack.  You won't be needing them anymore."  After but a moment of hesitation, Jack obeyed.  As he removed his suit piece by piece, his _owner_ laid out the new rules.  "You will keep your ears up from now on.  You won't leave this office.  This is your home now; you will eat, sleep, and _shit_ here.  You won't speak a word to anyone but me.  You won't look at anyone but me.  You are mine, my adorable pet rabbit."

When the last stitch of his clothing was removed, Jack stood straight, letting his ears rise to their natural position.  It felt so unnatural.

"You're lovely," Hunter said with a smile.  Then his eyes narrowed.  "Get into position, Jack."

Jack stood still for a beat, then moved towards the large desk.  This was nothing new to him; he had worn bruises on his legs from being repeatedly rammed into that desk; he had suffered being stabbed with pens while being thrown across the marble top of it.  He knew by now what was expected of him, and he obeyed, because to try and fight would make things worse.  So he went to the only corner of the desk his could reach – frustratingly so close, yet so far from Hunter's computer and telephone – and planted his hands on it.

"Not like that, _Jack_."  Hunter's voice was so _cold_ , more frigid than Jack had ever heard it before.  It made Jack freeze up, tense as a block of stone, until he slowly turned and looked back at Hunter.  Despite the man's chilling voice, his face held a smile.  "Hands and knees, like an animal."

Fear licking through every inch of him, Jack slowly walked back over to where Hunter stood, and then lowered to his hands and knees, dehumanized.  His ears wanted to drift back down, but he forced them to stay up as he felt Hunter's hands slide along his back.  Slender fingers combed through the small tuft of his tail, then came the sickening sound of Hunter's zipper being torn down.

There was little warning or preamble.  Hunter grabbed Jack's backside and spread him, then spit onto his hole, no need for class or refinement towards an animal.  Then he pressed in, rough, making Jack cry out at the sudden invasion.  "It's good to hear your voice again," Hunter said as he grabbed a handful of Jack's hair and pulled his head back.  "I thought you were done speaking to me for a moment there."  He drew back, only to then slam back into Jack's body again.

Pain ripped through him, and a strangled sound wrenched from his throat.  This was so much worse than all the other times Hunter had used him as his own personal sex toy; there was no need to make sure Jack could still work the next day, no reason to keep Jack functioning.  Hunter was free to destroy Jack inside and out now, and he held nothing back as he pounded into Jack's helpless body.

"You feel so good, Jack," Hunter said through heavy breaths, panting with the exertion of his thrusts.  "So beautiful.  I wish my brother could see you like this."

Jack's heart shattered and he fell to the floor, unable to hold himself up anymore, broken.  He would rather die than have Micaela ever see him so pathetic, so used.  And then he screamed when Hunter grabbed him by the tail, yanking hard to lift his ass up.  The pulling on his tail continued, as if trying to tear it off completely, even as Hunter's other hand moved to Jack's neck, gripping just above the collar, forcing his face to press against the floor.  Never once did the brutal thrusts into his ass slow down.

"You're mine, Jack.  _Mine_."  Hunter slammed into him again, once more, and then the hands left Jack's body.  Hunter's dick pulled out of him roughly, and after a deep grunt, Jack felt streams of cum splash against his back, shooting into his hair, matting into his tail.

Several heavy breaths later, Hunter stood, then used his foot to knock Jack's hips back to the floor.  "I'm going to take _such_ good care of you."  Then he walked away, leaving Jack used and battered without so much as a sheet to cover himself or a shred of dignity.

Face hidden in the floor, Jack bit his lip, taking deep, silent breaths.  He needed to get control, needed to think.  And then, slowly, he used what little strength remained to crawl over to the large dog bed, pulling himself onto it.  He curled around his plush rabbit, putting his back to Hunter, hiding the toy.

His fingers searched, seeking out the small box the toy rabbit held, and when he found it he flicked it open.  Then he touched what was inside, the golden promise he had never dared to wear.


	55. Try, Try Again

 

 

 

Leave it to Queen.

He did that, and ended up walking down the street dressed as a gingerbread man, which was better than the sugarplum fairy Queen had originally planned for him.

Nikko was hesitant about attending the annual Halloween party, but Queen insisted, and even said they wouldn’t have to worry about costumes, that he would make everything by hand, so the only cost would be for materials.  When Knight said he would like to try Halloween again, a determination in his yellow eyes, Nikko relented.

Left up to Queen, their costumes all ended up being sugary, sweet things.  Nikko really shouldn't have been surprised, though the costumes were exceptionally well-made and his students at least were very cute.  Knight managed to pull off shortcake quite well, in a layered, ruffled suit and strawberry hat.  Bishop was chocolate, in an elegant, princely brown outfit.  He was even made a staff topped with a chocolate bar, but in the end the dog only scowled at Queen, catching on that he had purposely been outfitted as a snack he couldn't even eat.

Queen himself was a cupcake, full of frosting-frills and sequin-sprinkles.  Pleated pants made a perfect wrapper, and a mini-cupcake hat perched on the side of his head.  And Nikko had to admit his own gingerbread suit and vest was both cute and fashionable.  Queen had a lot of talent, and they all looked good.

Despite being considerably more comfortable this year, there was still a certain tension in the air as they made their way toward the venue.  While they talked like normal, Nikko could feel it in Knight's hand, held tightly in his own.

This would be the first event without Jack.

They never got any answers or any information about what happened to Jack.  When Knight tried to call the rabbit, all he got was a message saying the line had been disconnected.  So he called Kit's number, listed in the letter they had received, and though he spoke to his new coordinator with tears in his eyes and a sob in his voice, all Knight was told was that Jack was enjoying his retirement, resting and relaxing, and didn't want to take any business calls.  Knight left a message with Kit, begging Jack to call him, but a reply never came.

It was off.  It was wrong.  Jack was more than just Knight's coordinator; he was his _friend_.  Retiring wouldn't sever the bond they had – even Nikko knew that.

Nikko didn't trust Kit, and that was an awful position for him to be in.  He knew Kit, had encountered him before, though they didn't actually meet at the time.  Kit had been Noella's coordinator, and was the one to come retrieve Toto's body on that horrible day.  Kit hadn't acknowledged Nikko at all, and had only given Noella an ice cold "Your business with our establishment is finished."

Nikko didn't like Kit, and any loyalty or obligation he had toward the company felt further away than ever.

He just hoped Jack was safe.

But Nikko glued a smile to his face and let Knight's hand slip free from his as they neared the event venue – the same large building as two years ago.  And like two years ago, Buck waited for him outside the door, but there was no smile, no wave, no 'Yo' this time around.  Instead, the big man's mouth was set in a frown.

"Gus!" Queen called out happily.  He ran at his mate and pounced, easily caught in Gus's single arm, and then the two pressed their lips together.  Nikko could practically see the little hearts floating off of them.

Nikko smiled more sincere for the happy couple, but it quickly disappeared when Buck pointed a thumb away from the building and said "We need to talk."

It was odd and discerning, seeing Buck so serious.  Nikko followed Buck several yards away from the venue, only asking "What's up?" when Buck stopped and remained silent for an uncomfortable while.

"Gus told me," Buck said, making Nikko's anxiety skyrocket.  He knew Gus hadn't gotten it.

"Told-  Told you what?" Nikko asked, trying to play innocent.

"It's _weird_ , ya know?"  Buck didn't even bother with the attempted ploy.  "He's not human.  I know he's cute an' sweet an' all, but..."  Buck trailed off a moment, then looked back at Nikko.  "Look, man.  You're a good-lookin', smart guy.  Surely you could find someone of your own... species."

Nikko just stared, unable to speak around the thick lump caught in his throat.  His eyes were hot, vision going blurry.  His stress levels were maxed, and the party hadn't even started yet.  He suddenly felt stupid in his costume.  He wanted to go home.

"Nikko?"

"I-"

"Oh god, please don't cry."

A tear dropped from Nikko's eye.  "I don't want anyone else.  I tried.  I tried so hard to ignore my feelings.  I tried to date other people.  I tried to set Knight up with other students.  It was no good!"  Fear raced through him as quickly as the words poured out of him.  He couldn't stop the trembling that wracked his body.  "I know it's weird and you probably think I'm gross or something, but I love him _so much_!"

"Okay, okay."  Buck's hands were up, defensive.

"If you don't want to be friends with a freak like me, I understand, but _please_ -!  Please don't tell anyone.  If he gets taken away from me, I don't know what I'll do."

Buck frowned, then after a moment he slowly reached over and patted Nikko on the arm.  "I...  I won't tell anyone.  Your secret is safe with me.  And I do still want to be your friend."

"Thank you..."

"You are kind of a freak, though."

Nikko both sniffled and laughed at that.

Then Buck smiled at last.  "I guess I'm just worried about ya, you know?  What're ya gonna do when he graduates?"

Nikko snorted at that.  "Ginger asked the exact same thing."

"Ginger knows?"

"Yeah.  Just her, Gus, and my guys, though.  And you, now..."

"Well...  I'll help in any way I can."

"Thanks," Nikko replied with a half smile.

They walked back to their students, where Knight stood with wide, worried eyes.  "Nikko..."

"It's okay," Nikko said, rubbing Knight's arm.  He saw Buck look back and forth between the two of them, then shake his head.

They didn't have time to dwell – Ginger and Penny approached, with Penny glaring hot at Queen and Gus, a look completely at odds with the angel costume she wore.  "I can't believe you guys hooked up after what happened," Penny said, scowl reaching her voice.

Gus blinked.  "What happened?"

"Nothing," Queen answered, holding more tightly to Gus's arm.  "She's just jealous."

"The hell I am," Penny replied.  "And you were wrong before."

"Me?"  Queen batted his eyelashes.

"Yeah.  Axle doesn't have all of his body parts.  His tail is docked."

Queen smiled sweet.  "But you love him anyway."

Penny's blush was luminescent.  " _No_."  Then her eyes turned to Gus.  "Why are you wearing that stupid costume again?"  She didn't wait for an answer, though, instead turning and heading into the venue.

Gus looked down at the same plastic Viking costume he had worn two years ago.  "What's wrong with it?"

"It is pretty lame," Queen said as he pulled Gus along, the group following Penny inside.

"It still gets me candy."

"Pity candy."

The large banquet room was full of all the familiar faces, as well as, for the first time since Nikko joined the program, a few new ones.  There was a new woman talking to the chihuahua-boy's teacher while doting on her own student, a cute, brindle-haired sheltie-girl, as well as a thin man in a suit with an all-black kitten-boy.  Jerry was fawning over the new cat, but when he saw Bishop he immediately came bouncing, full-steam ahead.

Nikko hung back when Bishop froze, ready to reprimand the cat once again for touching Bishop so freely, but Jerry never made it.  He was intercepted by Ben, who seemed to sweep in out of nowhere to pull his adoptive brother off his feet and hold him under an arm.

"Jerry," Ben chided in a gentle voice.  "You know you're not supposed to touch Bishop."

"Let me go!"  Jerry squirmed.

"I won't."

Then, suddenly, Jerry _hissed_.  His nails raked along Ben's arm, bare in the short-sleeved policeman costume he wore, drawing blood.  Ben dropped his burden, startled, and Jerry scampered a few steps away from him.  Nikko took a step in front of Bishop, putting himself between his student and the riled-up kitten, but all of Jerry's attention was on Ben, fury in his yellow eyes.

"I know you want Bishop for yourself!" Jerry accused, pointing a finger at Ben.  "But he's mine!  I saw him first!"

Ben looked genuinely hurt at the anger in the other cat's voice, but at the same time, his level-headed nature prevailed.  "Bishop is not a toy; you can't claim him like that."

"Then choose!"  Jerry turned to Bishop, prompting even Nikko to look back at the dog.  "Who do you like better, me or him!?"

Bishop went still, and Nikko could see the discomfort radiating off of him in waves.  Then, without giving a response, Bishop simply turned and walked away.

Ben looked pensive; Jerry looked heartbroken.  The younger cat moved to give chase, but Nikko stopped him with a hand to his chest.  "Leave him alone," Nikko said, and for once Jerry looked like he might listen.

Lip trembling, Jerry turned a glare on Ben.  "I hate you," he spat, then ran away.

Nikko sighed, but before he could go look after Bishop, he heard Ben softly say "I'm sorry."

"N-No," Nikko replied.  "It's not your fault.  Bishop just needs a lot of space."

Ben nodded.  "Please...  Tell him I'm sorry... for that one time..."

"That wasn't-"

Ben waved a hand, cutting Nikko off.  "Please just tell him.  And Jerry is sorry too."

"I..."  And then Nikko nodded, smiled sad.  "I'll tell him."

They parted, and Nikko wondered how many other incidents there would be that night.

"Three."

Slowly, Nikko turned to find Marie 'Bitch Number Two' Devereaux looking at him with expectant blue eyes.  Tiffy stood several steps behind her, wearing an exquisite geisha outfit, holding a small, black box.  Come to think of it, Nikko hadn't seen Victoria since _that_ picnic, and he was A-okay with that.  Marie was by far the lesser of the two evils.

"I'm... sorry?" Nikko questioned at her strange, single-word comment.

"You have three students now.  Most people stick with one."

"Oh...  Yeah...  There are... various reasons."  Nikko wasn't really sure how to respond.

Marie gave a "Hm" that sounded somewhere between haughty and genuinely interested.  "I see."  Her eyes didn't leave his face, though, staring as if waiting for a certain response.  It was unnerving.

"Y-Yeah..."  Nikko's gaze moved away and he ducked his head.  "Well, then..."  He took a step away, and then another, and then began to retreat in earnest.  When he heard small footsteps following, however, he stopped and turned again.  "Can I help you?"

"No, I'm-"  She cut herself off, cleared her throat in a most lady-like manner, and then said "I wish to apologize to you.  At your first Halloween party, what we did to your student...  It was wrong.  It wasn't my idea, of course, but I did go along with it.  So...  I'm sorry."

Nikko only stared at her, dumbfounded.  Perhaps he should have been suspicious, but he didn't feel so.  Mostly just amazed and a little bit curious.

"Well?" Marie said then.  "A lady has just apologized to you.  You should say something in return."

"It's...  It's okay."  It wasn't, but Nikko wanted to get this over with.  "I don't think Knight even remembers."

"Oh, well...  Either way, you and he both have our apologies."

"Thanks..." Nikko replied, and when Marie didn't say anything else, he added "Then, if that's all..."  Nothing else came; Marie only looked down at her hands.  So Nikko just said "Then, take care..." and turned once again to meet up with his friends.

The small footsteps continued to follow him.

He ignored it, praying it was a coincidence and that Marie just happened to be going in the same direction as he was, but when he approached the cluster of chairs his usual gang had commandeered, he saw the gazes of his friends move behind him.

Nikko turned and stepped back, as if revealing his new shadow.  A beat of silence ran through the group as Marie continued to stare expectantly at Nikko, until she finally said "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

He wanted to snark that she had literally known these people longer than he had, but instead he listed everyone's name in turn, gesturing to each person and animal as he did so.  There were a few greetings in return, but his friends seemed as perplexed by the situation as Nikko himself was.

"Gus..." Marie said quietly, and then her eyes drifted down.

Tiffy stepped forward then, and Nikko heard her voice for the first time when she held the black box out to Gus and said "This is for you.  It's from Ms. Victoria."  When Gus only stared at the box, the poodle thrust it even closer to him.

Gus took the box.  "Uh...  Thanks."

"Open it."

Wedging the box between his knees to hold it, Gus pried the top off, revealing a sparkling mens watch.  Several gasps and 'wow's sounded through the group, bringing a smug and pleased look to Marie's face.  "It's a Rolex," she said, overly proud.  "Victoria has exquisite taste."

"Wonder how much we could get for it," Buck commented, only to be smacked on the shoulder by Ginger.

Ignoring the comment, Marie then said "Victoria sends her regrets to you."  Then she turned to face the whole group.  "To Knight and Bishop as well.  To...  To everyone."

Ginger's eyes flicked to Nikko before she said "Well, if she expects forgiveness, she's in for a rude awakening.  Shiny gifts don't change what happened."

Marie's gaze fell.  "That's...  That's fair.  I, personally, agree."

"Please, wear it," Tiffy said.  Then she reached to pull the watch from its box.  She took Gus's hand, huge compared to her tiny fingers, and slipped the watch onto his wrist.  She had just started to adjust the size when Queen bolted out of his chair, pushing the poodle to the ground and snarling loudly.

"Don't touch him!"  Queen's teeth bared; his ears went back; his tail bristled.

"How dare you!?"  Tiffy looked appalled.

"He's mine!  My mate!  Don't touch!"

"Queen!" Nikko called.  There was an edge to Queen's voice that Nikko hadn't missed.  The fox wasn't being aggressive – he was scared.  So Nikko went to him, wrapped an arm around him.  "It's all right, Queen.  It's okay."

"She's trying to take him!"

"No, she isn't.  Come here."  Nikko spared a look of apology to the group before he led Queen away, taking the trembling fox to a quiet corner.  It seemed Queen's possessiveness didn't extend to just clothes, but it would be bad if the fox ran away from here like he did whenever he was upset at home.  He didn't know the area, and could easily get lost.

"Nikko!"  Queen clung to Nikko's arm.  "She kept touching him!  She wants to take him!  But he's mine!"

"Queen, it's okay.  She was just helping him with his watch.  She doesn't want to take him from you."  Then he cupped Queen's chin, forcing the fox to look at him.  The desperation in those red eyes was heartbreaking.  "And even if she did want him, she wouldn't stand a chance.  You're gorgeous, and Gus cares for you so much.  No one can take him from you."

Queen sniffled; his eyes turned away.  "I know..."

Nikko chuckled, then reached up to rub Queen's ear.  "Okay.  So can we get along?"  He glanced back at their group, saw Marie and Tiffy had taken seats amongst them.  "I think...  I think they're lonely and lost without their leader."

"I'll try," Queen replied with a huff in his voice.  "But if she touches my Gus again, I'll bite her."

"No biting."

"Well, I'll growl very loudly at her."

"Okay," Nikko laughed.  "I guess that'll do for now."  They would have to address Queen's issues someday, though.

They headed back to mixed gazes – some smiles and some looks of concern – and Queen immediately plopped himself into Gus's lap and buried his face into the wolf's neck, knocking his cupcake hat askew.  Gus, for his part, just rested his chin on Queen's head and his tail started wagging.  Nikko had never seen him look so content.

"So, will you be getting any more students?" Marie asked, showing she was capable of normal conversation.

"No way," Nikko replied.  "I already had to move once to make room for them.  I'm officially at my limit."

Ginger laughed and gestured with the little, plastic pitchfork she carried for her devil costume.  "What?  I thought you were collecting the whole set.  You just need a Rook and some Pawns."

"I couldn't name someone Pawn; that would be awful.  And I'm not getting a Rook either."

"How about a King?"

Nikko smirked as he said "That's-"  But then he cut off when he saw Kent walk through the hall's entrance doors.  The man looked amazing in a full tuxedo, looking like he should be standing at an alter.  Nikko found it a bit presumptuous, actually.

He found Tina's bridal gown straight-up suspicious.  A glance to Knight showed the fox's gaze glued to the floor.

Kent made his way over to the group cautiously, hands folded neatly in front of him.  "Ginger," he started, voice soft.  "If I may have a moment of your time."

"You may not," Ginger snapped, looking directly at Kent with cold eyes.

"Just a word-"

"There are no words, Kent.  I don't want to talk to you.  I don't even want to look at you.  You need to go."

Kent looked lost; his gaze moved to the floor, then to Nikko's shoes, then up Nikko's body to his face.  Nikko only looked away, and though he heard Kent whisper "My apologies" before leaving their group, he couldn't be sure to whom it was directed at.

A bare moment of silence passed before Reece leaned in, asking Ginger "What the hell happened between you two?"

"We broke up," was Ginger's only answer.

"Sounds like there's a story there."

"There is."

"Oh?"

"And it's none of your business."

Reece sat back in his chair, looking miffed.  "Come on, Gin.  We're all friends here."

"It's private."  Ginger stood her ground, and Nikko adored her all the more for it.  A lesser person may have spilled Kent's beans all over the place out of anger and revenge; despite Kent's betrayal, Ginger kept his secrets to herself.  Nikko respected that, and when her eyes turned to him, he gave her a smile.

"Would you like me to take over his company?" Marie offered, sounding absolutely genuine.

Ginger only laughed.  "No, thank you.  I just want to be done with him."

"If you're sure..."

There were chuckles that Marie didn't seem to understand, and then conversation went on to flow naturally.  The students came and went, playing and dancing, coming back for snacks before bounding off again.  Bishop stuck by Nikko's side, as usual, though he actually sat in a chair this time, which was an improvement.  Tiffy didn't seem to know how to play, but when Knight took her hand and led her to the dance floor, where everyone was bouncing around, she went with it, and before long she was smiling, and then laughing.  Marie looked amazed and happy to see her student actually having _fun_.

Ginger and Buck both looked to Nikko, but he only looked down, forcing a smile, however pathetic it may have come out.  Truthfully, he _was_ jealous; he wanted to dance with Knight, to spin around with him and laugh with him.  He wanted to hold Knight's hips the way Penny did as the animals made a train or a conga line or... whatever they were doing.  Nikko wanted Knight to spin him around too, the way he spun Tiffy around.  But they couldn't – not here.

Nikko stood up suddenly.  "I need a drink," he said.  "Does anyone want anything?"

Buck requested a beer, but everyone else was good, and after an instruction for Bishop to stay put, Nikko headed off to the punch bowl.

He swiped a can of beer from the nearby cooler before heading towards the punch bowl, and he hadn't quite grabbed a plastic cup yet when he felt a presence standing too-close behind him.  Before he could turn around, though, Kent's voice breathed into his ear.  "Nikko..."

Nikko turned quickly, startled, his hip hitting the table and jostling the punch bowl.  "Kent," he said simply, lost for anything else to say.

"Nikko..."  Kent's eyes were sad and sincere.  "I'm sorry for...  For what I did.  I had far too much to drink that night and I guess I sort of botched my confession."

Eyes turning away, Nikko remained silent.  It wasn't even the way Kent had practically forced himself on Nikko that night that was so upsetting; it was the revelation that Kent had been using Ginger as a cover the entire time they had been dating, and that he clearly had every intention on pursuing Nikko while continuing to see Ginger.

"If we could go somewhere more private..." Kent said in Nikko's silence.

"N-No."  No way.

"Please."  Kent's hand slid down Nikko's arm, taking his wrist.

Nikko looked around, praying for someone to save him, but there was no one.  Ginger was busy showing Marie something on her phone while Buck and Reece were laughing about something.  Even Bishop was distracted, stealing strips of steak from the plate Gus had left behind.  The rest of the animals were still playing on the dance floor, though Knight...

Knight had been cornered by Tina.  She and Kent were working together again, it seemed, deceptively aggressive despite their courteous exterior.  Knight looked down, apologizing no doubt, placing blame on himself for not returning Tina's feelings.

It was when Tina placed a lace-gloved hand on Knight's chest, leaning in, rising up on her toes, that something in Nikko finally cracked.  He pulled out of Kent's grip, looking up at him with a scowl etched onto his face.  "No, Kent," Nikko snapped, and then he slammed the beer can he had been holding down on the table forcefully.  "I don't want to talk to you either."  Then, without another word or glance, he walked away.

Nikko's heart pounded as he crossed the room.  He wasn't used to this, to letting his anger show, always keeping is temper hidden in silence like a dirty secret, only to come out when he was alone.  He wasn't used to standing up for himself, but this needed to end, and if anger gave him the balls to speak up, then so be it.

Knight had his hands on Tina's shoulders, saying "No, please" while trying to gently fend off her advances.  The distress in his voice made things easier on Nikko, erasing his anxiety.

" _Tina_ ," Nikko said in a cold voice that surprised even himself.  "Move away."  And she listened, like he knew she would, because no matter what, she was a student and he was a teacher, and he would use that if he needed to.  "Knight doesn't want you.  He will _never_ want you.  You need to leave him alone."

Tears welled in Tina's eyes – she looked absolutely crushed.  With little more than a choked sob, she fled, running towards where Kent stood frozen.

Nikko turned to Knight.  He had to dig into the depths of his willpower not to cup his lover's face and kiss him right there, staking his claim for anyone else considering making a move on him.  Instead, he grasped Knight's arm, giving a loving squeeze.  "Are you alright?"

"Mm..."  Knight both nodded and pouted.  "She said...  She said she wanted to be my mate, and..."  He sniffled.  "And she said we could either be mates or nothing.  She doesn't want to be only friends..."

The anger bled out of Nikko, and he rubbed Knight's arm, soothing.  "Well, it's her loss," he said, hoping to prevent tears before they started.  "I think she's making a big mistake, because you're a great friend."

"Really?" Knight whimpered.

"Yeah."  Then Nikko smiled.  "Haven't you noticed the way everyone enjoys playing with you?  You even got Tiffy to laugh and become your friend."

Knight was still for a moment, but then he nodded again, a sad smile tiptoeing onto his face.  "Then, I hope Tina can understand her mistake and be my friend again someday."

"I'm sure she will," Nikko replied.  Though, honestly, he wasn't sure he would be able to trust her any more than he did Kent any time soon.

The music that played by the dance floor suddenly cut off, drawing Nikko's and everyone else's attention to the speakers, where an orange-haired staff member stood holding a microphone and a smile.

Kit.

"Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen," Kit said in greeting.  Knight had told Nikko Kit was a fox – easily identified despite Kit only passing by him twice at Noella's place that day – but if he hadn't known, Nikko would never be able to tell on his own.  Like Jack, Kit wore the mask of 'human' perfectly.

He was as professional as Jack as well, no traces of the cold, unfeeling thing Nikko had encountered before.  "Thank you for coming tonight.  I hope you're all enjoying the festivities."  He gave a chuckle that seemed genuine.  "For those of you who don't know me, my name is Kit.  I took over the job of Chief Coordinator a couple months ago upon Jack's retirement.  I hope I can live up to my predecessor's hard work."

Nikko felt Knight grab on to his sleeve, and he looked up to see Knight's lip trembling.  He was worried about Jack, like Nikko himself was.  He likely didn't trust Kit any more than Nikko did, either.

"I haven't had the chance to meet everyone yet, unfortunately, but remember that you can call me any time and I'll make myself available."  His yellow eyes traveled over the gathered crowd before him, as if studying them, and then his smile turned up.  "Now, it's time for our annual Halloween costume contest!"

Like two years ago, the staff went around passing out small pumpkin buckets to the students and baggies of candy to the teachers while Kit went over the rules.  Everything was basically the same, except for the new rule that the candy votes could only come from teachers – students couldn't give each other candy.

Knight looked to Nikko and Nikko patted his arm.  "It'll be okay this year," Nikko said in reassurance.  Knight nodded slowly in response.

Nikko smiled at the staff member who handed him his bag of candy, then turned his attention when he saw Marie coming straight for him.  She stopped before him and Knight, and then smiled a real smile.  "Fair and square, this time," Marie said.

Nikko nodded.  "Fair and square."

"Then, if we're ready..." Kit said over his microphone.  "Begin!"

"Here I go, Nikko!" Knight said, eyes bright.

"Go get 'em," Nikko chuckled back.

Then Knight's face lit up when he saw Marie holding up a piece of candy.  Smiling, he held his bucket out to her.  "Trick or treat!"

"Happy Halloween," Marie said as she dropped the candy in his bucket.

"Thank you!"  And then Knight bounded away, off to do his trick-or-treating.

Nikko smiled at each of the students who came up to him.  He gave Gus a vote – yes, pity candy – and was interested to see the wolf had quite a bit in his bucket already.  When Gus wandered away, Queen pressed close to his side, Marie leaned in towards Nikko.

"Maybe you guys don't notice because you're close with him, but...  That wolf...  Gus..."  Her smile went soft.  "Some people are calling him a hero."

Nikko looked over to Gus again, the big dope smiling silly as he held his bucket up in his single arm.  Then Nikko's smile pulled up.  "He is kind of a hero."

Both teachers laughed, then had their attention pulled away by the trick-or-treaters.

Like before, Nikko couldn't resist giving mobster-clad Axle two candies, weak to his adoration of rottweilers, and he gave Penny one as well.  When Tina took a step towards him, however, his grip on his baggie tightened reflexively.  He wouldn't have denied her if she came to him, but he was honestly relieved when she hesitated, then turned and went in the other direction.  Nikko almost felt bad, but he really needed to be away from Tina and Kent both for a while.

Then a whimper landed upon Nikko's ear, and his eyes went wide.  He berated himself mentally as he suddenly bolted for their cluster of chairs, dodging students and teachers alike.  He had been so caught up in making sure this year went better for Knight, he hadn't even considered what the flurry of activity would do to Bishop.

What an awful teacher he was.

He found Bishop right where he had left him long ago, the handle of his pumpkin bucket around his wrist while his hands buried into his hair, eyes clenched shut, trying to cower on his feet.  Ben stood nearby, warding people away, not letting anyone get too close.  Nikko appreciated the cat for it.

"Thanks," Nikko said, giving Ben a pat on the arm.

"I don't know what to do for him..." Ben replied, quiet.

"It's okay," Nikko responded.  "I've got it."  Then he dropped a small handful of his candies into Ben's bucket.  It could never be enough to repay his thoughtfulness, but it would have to do for now.  "Go, have fun."

Ben nodded and began to step away, but his gaze continued to drift back to Bishop.

"Bishop, are you alright?" Nikko asked softly, stepping towards him slowly.

Bishop looked up at him, fear laced through his eyes.  He reached, bit by bit, until he grabbed on to Nikko's sleeve, seeming to use it as an anchor to pull himself closer.  "Nikko..." he whispered.  His head lowered, pressing to Nikko's shoulder; it was surprising, to say the least.  And when another student accidentally bumped into Bishop in her rush for more candy, Bishop whimpered and held on to Nikko more tightly.  "What's happening?"

"It's okay, Bishop."  Nikko didn't know what liberties he was allowed to take.  If it were Knight or Queen, he could wrap his arms around them and pet them soothingly.  Bishop required a little more delicacy.  "It's just a game."

"I-  I don't-  I can't-"

"It's okay," Nikko said again.  "You don't have to do it.  Just stay with me."

He felt Bishop nod against him and it was something of a relief.  They could get through this.  Bishop kept his face hidden while Nikko handed out his last few candies, and then Nikko turned his empty baggie over and gave smiles and apologies.  They would get through this.

Until a cold voice frosted over Nikko's ear, asking "Is something wrong?"  Full of false concern or caring.

Nikko turned, faced with Kit's attention for the first time.

"Is there a reason he isn't participating?" the fox asked.

"He-  He's very shy," Nikko answered.  "He's afraid of approaching people."

Kit smiled, though this time it hardly seemed genuine.  Nikko was used to Jack's forced-professional fake smiles, but Kit's was something else.  It seemed to hide something malicious.  "Well, now, that's half the reason we have these events, to help ease anxiety in a safe environment.  He should participate."

Nikko gripped his empty baggie to keep his hand from trembling.  He could feel Bishop shaking against his shoulder.  "Maybe next year he can do it."

"Oh, no.  He'll do it now."  Kit's smile disappeared.  "We have no use for students who cower."

No use...  In company-speak, it meant if Bishop couldn't do it, he might be destroyed.  It was senseless – Bishop was too intelligent to get rid of so casually, regardless of his mental issues – but Nikko didn't know what to expect from the company any more.  Even Jack had said things were changing within the company.

And now Jack was gone.

"Okay," Nikko said, his gaze turning to steel.  "I'll make sure he participates."

"Good," Kit replied.  He turned then, but after a moment he turned back.  "What's your name?"

"Nikko Krakowski," Nikko answered honestly.  It wasn't like the fox wouldn't be able to find out anyway.

"Who's your coordinator?"

Nikko wanted to yell that Jack was – that Jack was a far superior coordinator and human being in every way.  But it wouldn't do to make an enemy.  He played timid – easy to do, as it was his usual state.  "Oh, uh...  I guess you are now."

Kit's smile came back.  "I see.  Then, I look forward to working with you, Mr. Krakowski."

"Likewise."

Eyes sliding to Bishop, Kit gave a simple "Good luck" before he slipped away, but Nikko had no doubts the fox would be watching to make sure Bishop did, in fact, play along in the little contest.

Nikko's gaze whipped around, looking for Knight.  He found his lover chirping "Trick or treat!" at another teacher, smiling bright when another candy dropped into his bucket.  Leading Bishop, Nikko rushed to Knight, calling his name.

"Knight, we need your help," Nikko said when they met up with the fox.

"Is Nikko okay?" Knight asked, concern immediately coloring his features.

"They're saying Bishop has to participate in the contest," Nikko explained.  "Can you help him?  Take him around to get candy?  Please?  I'm so sorry to put this on you, but..."

"It's okay!"  Knight smiled again, letting his eyes meet Nikko's.  They were partners – they were a team.  As with everything, they were in this together.

Nikko wanted to kiss Knight up and down.  "Thanks," he said instead.

"Bishop," Knight said then, taking the dog's hand to pull him closer, then sliding an arm around his shoulders.  Bishop seemed to melt against him.  "Let's get candy, okay?"

Bishop nodded, and then looked to Nikko, an apology in his eyes.  Nikko only smiled, encouraging.

He watched as Knight led Bishop from teacher to teacher, prompting him to say "Trick or treat" when necessary.  Candy slowly filled Bishop's bucket, everyone seeming to show sympathy towards the shy dog.

Bishop seemed to open up a bit when they approached Alice, looking up as the older woman spoke to him with kindness in her eyes and smile.  Nikko could almost read the 'sorry' on her lips, apologizing for her cats' relentless attention.

Nikko sighed, assured Knight could take care of things, and plopped into a chair.

He didn't want to hear another 'sorry' for the rest of the night.

 

 

 

 

Votes tallied, the results were in.

Tiffy won the costume contest, fair and square.  Her eyes went wide and her lashes fluttered in confusion and awe when they called her up to receive her trophy.  Nikko was happy for her, but even more so, he was amused and delighted by her teacher's reaction.

Marie smiled a pretty smile full of awe and pride.  In her eyes, in her face, it was crystal clear that she was finally realizing that she had never needed to use bribes or trickery to succeed.  Sure, having a ton of money to throw down on a nice costume helped, but there was no doubt that it was her idea and creativity that put the outfit together; it was Tiffy's beauty and grace that pulled it off.  They earned their first place.

Surely, Nikko would never forget the look of surprise that popped onto Tiffy's face when Marie hugged her, and he laughed.

Despite the late start, Bishop took second.  He did look dashing, after all, a delicious chocolate prince.  Thankfully, Bishop had little trouble going up and collecting his award himself, only flinching a bit when the plaque was thrust toward him, but Nikko didn't miss the calculating way Kit's eyes studied him, false smile in place.

Off to the side, Ben clapped for Bishop with a tiny smile on his lips.  Jerry, on the other hand, only stood still with his arms folded, pouting, eyes turned away.

Nikko lifted his phone and took a picture, while beside him, Queen frowned.  "I should get the prize for that," the fox grumbled.  "I made it."

"You did a good job," Knight replied, smiling from ear to ear.  "I bet Bishop will give you candy to thank you."

Queen snorted.  "He'll give me candy because he doesn't like it and wants to get rid of it."

"That's true."  Then Knight laughed.

Queen grumbled a bit more, but then stopped, changing his tune completely when they called Gus up for third place.  Gus just looked around, confounded by all the people clapping for him, and then finally he pointed a finger at himself.  "Me?"

"Yes, you!"  Queen laughed.

"But...  My costume is lame."

"Gus..." Nikko said, and then he smiled when the wolf looked wide-eyed at him.  "I don't think it's your costume that won."

Gus only tilted his head, not understanding at all, but then Queen pushed him toward where the staff stood waiting.  Buck clapped louder than anyone else as Gus was handed his plaque, and Nikko could have sworn he saw a tear in the big guy's eye.

Confused though he may have been, Gus carried a broad smile when he returned to their group, and then he took a deep breath.  "Next year, I want to win first place."

Queen laughed and jumped to throw his arms around Gus's neck, hanging off of his mate.  They shared a long kiss, and then Queen pulled back, grin firmly in place.  "I'll make sure that you do."

Nikko could already see Gus taking home the trophy next year.

Leave it to Queen.


	56. Like Footsteps

 

 

 

It happened at the grocery store.  He had an apos-  ...  Epou-  ...

_Epiphany_!

He had an epiphany at the grocery store, and a whole new world opened up to him.

He had just run up to the store for a moment to pick up some salad dressing and juice for dinner, since they were out.  The grocery store was the same as it always was, lights on overly bright and music playing from hidden speakers somewhere.  Knight was strolling from the back of the store, where the dressings were, to the cash registers up front when he noticed it.

Every time his foot touched down, a drum from whatever pop song was playing sounded, giving him percussion footsteps.

Knight stopped, though the song continued to play.  When he resumed walking again, he was off-step from the drum, but his pace and the pace of the song still fit together, snug alongside each other.  _Step – bum! – step – bum! – step – bum!_   He felt like he was part of the song.

It hit Knight that that must be what rhythm was – that elusive thing that made music music and not just random noise, that enabled people to dance, that Nikko loved.  It wasn't something that could really be taught; it needed to be experienced to be learned, like color or the scent of apple pie.

Knight was excited.  He rushed through the checkout, smiling and thanking the cashier who couldn't stop staring at Knight's horns, as he had forgotten his cap when he went out.

Outside, he noticed for the first time that rhythm was all around him.  The flow of traffic swelled up and down like waves, conducted by the changing lights up above.  The clang of a construction worker pounding on a pipe was a steady beat, ringing loudly for miles.  The lights on a storefront had a rhythm too, flashing to get the attention of potential customers, and Knight bet if he were to count the milliseconds between each of his steps, it would be the same each time.  His breaths too.  Rhythm was everywhere.

He began to run, the tempo of his footsteps picking up, but still there.  The house was quiet when he burst through the door – it was Queen's nap time, and Bishop would still be studying – and Knight bounced, anxious.  He wanted music.

Dropping his bag of minimal groceries, Knight began to flit around the house, only just now realizing they didn't have a radio.  He ran upstairs, positive Nikko had a bunch of CDs somewhere, and he was right.  But after pulling a silver disc from its case, it occurred to him that he wasn't sure how to play it.  If CDs were like DVDs, it would need a player, but they didn't have one.  Nikko always listened to music on his phone.

So Knight went for his phone next, poking at all the applications until he found one for music.

It was empty.

He had never wanted, never _needed_ music before, so of course he never put any on his phone.  He didn't even know how to.  With a whine of frustration, he dropped his phone onto the bed and went back downstairs.

He tried the TV next.  Sometimes TV shows or movies played music, but there wasn't anything on at the moment, besides a few commercial jingles.

Knight was disappointed and sad.  He wanted to hear more rhythms _now_ , while he understood it.  He felt like if he didn't get to practice listening – _feeling_ – for it, he would lose it.  The concept would escape him if he didn't hold on to it tightly.

He tried to hum a song, but it came out nonsensical, just short bursts of his own voice with no rhyme or reason, no beat or melody.  And just as Knight felt his lip quiver, he caught Nikko's scent approaching the house.  He bounced as he waited by the door, anxious.

"Nikko!" Knight called out as soon as the door cracked open.

Nikko's lovely face appeared, smiling at first, though it faded as he began to take his shoes and jacket off.  "Knight..."

"Nikko, can I use your phone!?"

"Why are your ears down?"  Nikko countered with a question of his own.

Knight looked up, only to realize he couldn't see the top of his head.  "Oh," he said, flicking his ears back up to their natural, upright state.  His tail was still in his pants too; he had been distracted.  "I went shopping and forgot."

Nikko's brow crinkled.

"But, Nikko!"  Knight bounced from foot to foot.  "Can I see your phone!?  Please!?"

"I guess," Nikko answered, then started rummaging through his bag.  "But, why?"

"I want to show you what I learned!"

Nikko handed the phone over and Knight had it unlocked and the music player open in no time.  He tapped the play button, letting the application pick whatever song it wanted, and when the music started, he listened carefully.

There it was; he found it!

Bringing his hand up, Knight began to tap his fingers on the wall with the beat of the music.  _Tap – tap – tap – tap_.  Even as he did so, he suddenly realized the pace could change while still keeping the same rhythm; another epiphany in practice.  _Tap – tap – tap tap tap – tap – tap – tap_.  He didn't just hear it with his ears; he felt it with his whole body.

"Knight..."

"I finally understand rhythm, Nikko!  I can understand music now!  I can dance!"

"That's great," Nikko said, giving a smile.  But then that smile faltered, faded.  "That's... really great..."  Nikko bit his lip, voice trailing off to nothing.

"Nikko?"  Knight's own smile fell.  "What's wrong?"

"Knight, don't-"  Then Nikko choked on his words, and Knight wanted to cry because it looked like Nikko was going to cry.  "Don't tell anyone."  Nikko finished with a strained voice.

Knight's hands fell to his sides, barely holding on to the phone that continued to play them a tune.  He felt his eyes go warm.  "I don't understand."  He thought Nikko would be proud of him.

"You-  You've always had empathy and sympathy, you can navigate social situations and have good judgment, and now your ears are staying hidden and you can understand music."  He took an audible, shuddering breath.  "Knight, you're as human as you can possibly be.  There's no reason not to graduate you."

The phone slid from Knight's hand, shutting itself off as it hit the floor and throwing them into sudden silence.  "But...  But I don't want to graduate," Knight said.  His vision went blurry with tears.

"I know, Knight.  I _know_."  Nikko stepped further into the house and grabbed Knight's hands, squeezing them in his own slim fingers.  "So _please_ , don't tell anyone.  Keep it to yourself, don't dance, and keep your ears up."

Knight nodded as the tears fell from his eyes.  "I will, Nikko.  I'll keep it a secret."  He couldn't graduate – he couldn't get taken away from Nikko.  He would rather go without listening to music ever again.  He would rather die.

Nikko pressed against him, sliding his arms around Knight's waist, holding on to him for dear life.  "It's okay.  It'll be okay," Nikko said, though Knight wasn't sure if he was talking to him or himself.  "It's because you're so clever."

"I'm sorry, Nikko."

He felt Nikko's smile against his chest.  "Don't be sorry," Nikko said.  "I'm scared, but I'm also proud of you."  And Knight's heart pounded – Nikko was proud!  Then Nikko pulled back and looked up to meet Knight's gaze.  "We can dance here, in our home."

Knight smiled again, a sad, stunted thing.  "I'd like that."

Nikko swooped down to pick up his phone again, and Knight watched as he began to search through the huge library of songs on it.  Knight's heart fluttered when Nikko's smile turned up, and then the music came, slow, gentle, an outpouring of love.

Pulling Knight into the living room, Nikko turned the volume up on his phone, then set it on the coffee table.  Then he turned, facing Knight and putting one hand on his waist, the other resting in Knight's palm.

Together, they started to move, sliding over the carpet, turning, smiling, blushing.  Nikko led for the most part, because Knight simply didn't know the moves, but Knight was able to follow in time.  He didn't need to be pushed or pulled into the right rhythm – it was there, inside him.  Like footsteps.

And the music continued to play.

' _We will walk to the end of time.  To the edge of the world and sky.  Come and stand in the setting sun.  Be the one_.'

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Knight and Nikko dance to "Be The One" by Erasure


	57. In Service Of

 

 

 

Knight danced.

Since the fox's grand epiphany into rhythm and beat, Knight wanted to listen to music all the time, and Nikko was quite okay with it.  Nikko had helped Knight transfer songs from the large collection on his computer to Knight's phone, and used some extra money that should have gone into savings to buy speakers for the kitchen that Knight could plug his phone into while he cooked.

And Knight danced.

His hips bobbed back and forth as he stood at the stove, making Saturday-morning French toast.  His tail swished along to the music, and it was so cute Nikko couldn't decide if he wanted to laugh or bend Knight over the counter.

Instead, he asked "Need some help?"

Knight turned and smiled, bright and beautiful.  "Nope!"  As usual.  "I made Nikko coffee," he said as he slid the large, steaming mug over.

"Thanks."  Nikko brought the mug to his lips, blowing on the hot coffee a bit, even if that wouldn't do a whole lot of good to cool it.  He took a small sip anyway, only burning his tongue a little bit.  It was worth it – after two-and-a-half years, Knight had perfected coffee to Nikko's liking.  "You like this song?" he asked next.

"Yes!" Knight answered cheerfully as he flipped a golden slice of toast over.  "It's my favorite!"

Nikko chuckled.  "Yesterday you said a different song was your favorite."

"That one's my favorite too!"

"How many favorites do you have?"  A smile persisted on Nikko's lips.

"They're all my favorite!"

Nikko laughed.  "I see."  Then he stepped close to Knight and kissed his shoulder.  He didn't want to disturb the fox's cooking, but he was so cute, Nikko had to do _something_.

Knight looked over at him again, and then leaned down to plant a kiss on Nikko's lips.  It was such a small and domestic scene, but it made Nikko's heart flutter as his eyes closed.  He felt warm.

When Knight pulled away, Nikko opened his eyes just in time to see Queen wander into the kitchen with a yawn.

"Bishop's humping a blanket," Queen said instead of a greeting.

"What?" Nikko deadpanned.

"In the living room."

Nikko sighed and hung his head.  They still had some work to do, breaking Bishop's little habit.  So with plodding steps, Nikko turned and moved to head to the living room.

And immediately crashed into an unexpected wall.

Looking up, Nikko found golden eyes looking confused down at him.  "Oh, Gus.  I didn't know you were here."

Gus smiled.  "I smell French toast."

"If you're nice, Knight will make you some."

Gus's smile dropped.  He looked away, brow crinkled in desperate thought.  "Am I nice?"

Nikko just laughed, leaving the wolf to figure it out on his own.  He had to rescue a blanket from their resident hound dog.

Bishop was in his usual spot on the floor in the living room.  He had been playing a game, but it was left abandoned, the next round's menu screen replaying its animation on a loop.  Bishop's attention was instead on the blanket Nikko and Knight had left on the couch the previous night, after their movie-and-snuggle date.  He sat on his knees, pinning most of the blanket beneath him, but had one edge of it held tight in his teeth, pulled taut between his legs.  His arms were wrapped around the tight line of the blanket, and his hips thrust against it.  His eyes were blank, just a dog in that moment.

"Bishop," Nikko said, trying to get the pup's attention, but there was no reaction.  "Bishop, stop," he tried again.

When still no response came, Nikko approached Bishop, slow enough that he wouldn't scare him, but at the same time hoping his presence could get Bishop to stop on his own.  He really didn't want to have to physically get the dog to relinquish the blanket, or at least take it into his bedroom.

"Bishop," Nikko said again, hearing a bit of a whine in his own voice.  When Bishop simply continued to thrust away against the blanket, Nikko sighed, then reached down and put a hand on Bishop's shoulder.

Bishop stopped moving, then slowly turned to look up at Nikko.  Clarity faded into his violet eyes, and the blanket fell from his mouth.  A look came over his face and his eyes averted as he sat back.  But he didn't shake or shudder or run – he didn't even seem to notice Nikko's hand resting on him.

"Bishop," Nikko said gently.  "You know the rule.  If you want to... to pleasure yourself, you have to do it in private."

"I-  I'm sorry."  Bishop spoke so low, Nikko could barely hear him.  "There was... a smell..."

"A smell?"  But even as he questioned it, Nikko understood.  Probably, Queen and Gus had been... socializing.  Even with the bedroom door closed, Bishop's sensitive nose would have picked up the scent of their arousal and their mating, setting him off and having him reaching for the closest thing to relieve himself against.

Nikko almost felt sorry for him.  On one hand, he got that it must have been difficult for Bishop, but on the other hand, they really needed to break this habit.  If the _need_ struck him in public, there could be trouble.

"Okay," Nikko said.  "I understand, but you really need to go to your room when you smell... that.  All right?"

Bishop nodded, but he looked miserable.

Nikko began to pull away, but when his hand left Bishop's shoulder, Bishop shuddered, making Nikko freeze.  And then, to his surprise, Bishop pushed his head against Nikko's hand, nuzzling against him.

"Bishop?"

"Please," Bishop whispered.  "Please... pet my ears."

"You don't mind?"

"If it's you...  Please."  Bishop's face was dusted pink with blush.

Nikko couldn't stop the smile that bloomed across his face, though he moved slowly when his hand slid over to Bishop's ears.  They were so soft, flaps of silk, and it was made all the better by the way Bishop willingly leaned into the touch, completely at ease under Nikko's hand.  It seemed to soothe him, the blanket long forgotten, and Nikko felt like he wouldn't mind spending more time in this little bit of Heaven.

Then Knight's face peeked from around the wall that separated the living room from the kitchen.  His eyes went wide for a moment, but then he smiled.  "Breakfast is ready."

 

 

 

 

By Sunday afternoon, the gossip had gotten around.  Not that there was much to gossip about.

"I heard from Buck who heard from Gus," Ginger said, laughter in her voice.  "Having boys must be extra _fun_.  I've never had to lecture Penny about humping things.  Well...  Inanimate things, anyway."

"Did you call just to laugh at me?" Nikko asked, not in the least amused.

"Mostly, yeah."  And then Ginger laughed again.  "So what are you going to do?"

Nikko sighed.  "I don't know what I _can_ do, besides keep an eye on him.  I'd try to set him up with someone to relieve tension, but..."

"It won't work if he can't stand being touched."

"Right."

"Doesn't Alice's boy Ben have a thing for him?" Ginger asked next.  Despite her amusement, Ginger did seem to care, at least.  It was nice to have someone to talk it out with.

"Yeah," Nikko answered.  "Jerry does too.  And I think Bishop kind of likes Ben back, but...  He still can't stand to have anyone close, besides Knight."  Then he smiled, a bragging pride seeping into his voice.  "Oh, and me."

" _You_?"

"Yep.  It took more than a year, but he finally let me in.  I've been petting his ears almost non-stop for a full day now, and let me tell you, it's magic."

Ginger laughed again.  "I'm jealous."

"You should be!"

No solution to the situation came from the conversation, but Nikko felt a little better after the chat.  By the time they went for their evening walk, Nikko had largely forgotten about the blanket incident.

Nikko still didn't know the part of the city their new home was in very well.  He knew where the bus stop was and the grocery store, but he hadn't had the time or energy for much exploration.  Knight likely knew the area better than Nikko did.

What he did know, however, was that the park closest to their house was constantly spattered with teenagers and unsavory NEETs loitering about, drinking, smoking, and treating the place like their own personal landfill.  The one and only time they tried to take their walk there, Queen ended up getting grabbed, mistaken for a girl, and the assailant got bitten.  Nothing came of it – Knight's looming presence a likely deterrent to further altercation – but they cut their stroll short that night, and never went back.

Instead, they found another park; a cleaner park with more playground equipment to keep the active foxes entertained.  They had to walk through a stretch of the city to get there – more than a few neighborhoods away – but it gave them an excuse to stop by the twenty-four-hour convenience store and pick up some refreshments on the way home.

That night, when they got to the park, Knight immediately ran for the slide, attempting to run up it the wrong way, only to have his feet slip out from under him and send him skidding back down to the bottom on his face.  Queen took to the monkey bars, jumping up to walk on top of them, as he often did.  But then he leapt from the bars towards the swings, giving Nikko a heart attack.  He did manage to catch the bar of the swings, flipping around to pull himself up and sit on top, but it only made Nikko feel marginally better.

" _Queen_!" Nikko admonished, more out of fear than anything.  "Don't do anything dangerous!"

Queen only laughed.  "I knew I could make it."

Nikko sighed, putting a hand to his chest.  "My nerves can't handle this."  But then he looked to Bishop and smiled.  "At least I don't have to worry about you."  Too much.

Bishop only looked away.

When the foxes had their fill of running and playing, they headed home.  The convenience store loomed near, and just as Queen started to say how he wanted to get strawberry milk, Knight stopped and looked back.  Nikko paused as well with a questioning sound, and followed Knight's gaze to see Bishop standing several yards back, staring into a dark alley they had passed.

After a glance to Knight, Nikko went back.  "Bishop?  Don't just stop without saying anything, okay?"

Bishop didn't respond.  His nose quivered, taking small sniffs of the cool, night air, and then without a word he went into the alley.

"Bishop," Nikko said again, but didn't try to stop or reprimand him.  Bishop wasn't one to go exploring, so if he scented something that would make him wander into a dark alley alone, it must have been important, or at least interesting.  Honestly, Nikko himself was curious to see what Bishop had found.

Knight and Queen followed Nikko, who followed Bishop, who followed his nose in a train that led to who-knows-where.  Sometimes Bishop stopped, tilting his head back to catch whatever scent it was he had, and then he would start walking again, taking a few turns, until finally he came up to a dumpster.  He sniffed at it relentlessly, and then his small fist came up and hit the unyielding metal side of it.  He wanted in.  Whatever he had found was inside there, and Bishop wanted it.

"Bishop?" Nikko questioned.  "What is it?"

"Something..."  Bishop hit the dumpster again.  "Something's inside..."

"It's... probably just garbage.  Come on, let's go home."

Bishop didn't budge.  "There's something inside..."  He grabbed a metal beam on the large dump, shaking it, looking for a weak spot.

Nikko made a sound of defeat, but at the same time, something began to churn in his gut.  It wasn't like Bishop to act like this, and he got the feeling he wouldn't willingly leave it alone until he got to whatever was in there.  So with no small amount of trepidation, Nikko looked to Knight.  "Could you climb up top and see if there's anything in there?"

"Okay, Nikko," Knight replied, face and voice both serious.

Knight easily scaled the side of the dumpster, then followed Nikko's instructions on how to lift one side of the split, black lid and rest it against the building's wall so it wouldn't be in the way.  Then Knight jumped in, and Nikko cringed at how dirty he was going to get.

He heard Knight scrounging around, heard papers being pushed aside and discarded bottles clinking against each other.  Then Knight gasped and the rustling became more frantic.  "Nikko!" Knight called out.  "Nikko, there's a fox in here!"

Nikko's heart leapt, beating hard against his chest.  But he had to stay calm; he had to keep it together for his students' sake.  He had to think everything through.  "Okay," Nikko called back.  "Do you mean a fox like an animal, or..."

"It's a student, Nikko!"  Then Knight's voice cracked, going strained as he said "Like...  Like me."

Nikko took a deep breath.  "Okay," he said again, mostly to calm himself.  "Okay, are they alive?"

There was a pause, and then Knight called back "He's breathing a little bit, but he won't wake up and... there's a lot of blood."

Nikko's mind raced as he took in another gulp of air.  "Okay.  Can you lift him out of there?"

"I don't think so," Knight answered.  "He's really big."

"All right," Nikko said.  Then he turned to Queen.  "Can you climb up there and help get him out?  If you can get him over the side, Bishop and I will catch him down here."  Queen may have been pretty slender, but he was still bigger and probably stronger than either Nikko or Bishop.

With a nod, Queen climbed up the dumpster, bracing himself between the second lid and the opposite rim.  He reached into the dump, there were sounds of struggle, grunts of effort, but between the two foxes they were able to heft the mysterious student to the edge.  Nikko saw a head that was half silver and half brown, and it was with sickening dread that he realized the brown was probably dried blood.

"Catch his shoulders," Nikko instructed Bishop when they were ready to lower the student over the side.  "Then move back to ease him down."

Bishop nodded and they got ready, receiving the burden that Queen slowly lowered to them.  Between the two of them, they were able to support his head, shoulders, and torso, and then Knight leapt from the dumpster to the ground and took the student's long legs.  They eased him to the ground, quickly joined by Queen, and then began to assess what they had found.

The student certainly was big – probably taller than Knight, and broader as well.  His silver hair was matted with blood, as was his black-tipped tail.  His face was a purple-bruised and swollen mess, blood smeared from his mouth and nose, but he was breathing.  His clothes were torn and blood-caked, more bruising and welts showing in each place they checked.  And his legs...

His legs were destroyed.

They didn't even have to feel for damage – as soon as the student's bloodied pant legs were lifted, Nikko could see that both legs had been broken.  One leg had the tibia protruding through the skin, the other had the foot flopped in an unnatural position, leg bent in a place it didn't normally bend.

"Compound fracture in the right leg," Bishop said quietly from beside Nikko.  "Possible comminuted fracture in the left."  He looked up at Knight then.  "I need four sturdy sticks."

"Okay!" Knight replied, and then he began to run along the alley, searching.

"And I need several strips of cloth."  Bishop looked to Queen next.

Queen blinked in confusion.  "I don't know where to get any."

"The ribbons on your jacket."

Eyes wide, Queen looked horrified.  "But-  But I made this jacket myself..."  His voice faded as he spoke; his eyes went to the barely breathing student on the ground, hanging on to life by a thread.  With a tiny growl, Queen ripped his jacket off.  "Fine."  He began tearing the ribbons off, handing the strips to Bishop just as Knight came back, brandishing two discarded mops.

"Are these okay!?" Knight asked, fear raising his voice.

Bishop nodded.  "Break them in half."

Nikko took one of the mops and began twisting the head off of the handle while Knight did the same with the other.  Then Knight lifted his knee and cracked the wooden handle over it, snapping the pole in two.

Materials in hand, Bishop set to work applying a splint to each of the student's legs, careful not to upset the exposed bone in the right leg.  It was a perfect and horrifying test of everything he had been studying, and Nikko's heart burst with pride at how well Bishop handled it.

Then Nikko pulled out his phone.  As much as he hated it – as terrified as he was of the silver device – he had to call Kit.  The facility had to know one of their students had been dumped in the garbage, and the student needed to get to a hospital.

The phone rang, but there was no answer.  At this time of night, Kit was either asleep or decidedly off-duty.  Nikko hung up without leaving a message and cursed.  "Damn.  He's not answering."

"What do we do, Nikko?" Knight asked, tears already threatening to fall.

"We can't move him ourselves," Nikko said, putting a finger to his lip in thought.  "There's an emergency number we can call, but it's at home, and I don't want to leave him here alone."  Then Nikko stood, feeling a calm settle over him.  "Queen," he said, turning to the pink fox.  "I need you to go back to the house and get the care guide on the bookshelf in my room.  Bring it back here, okay?  I need you to run as fast as you can and bring it to me.  Got it?"

"I'm on it," Queen replied, springing to his feet.  Then he took off, running at a speed Nikko hadn't even known he was capable of.

"If worse comes to worse, we'll take him to a human hospital, but hopefully that won't be necessary."  Then Nikko went to Knight, running a hand up and down his arm.  "It'll be alright," he said.  "We got here in time, and Bishop knows what to do, so it'll be okay."

Bishop continued to look over his patient, hands running over the unknown fox's body, inspecting cuts and lacerations.  Then he reached down and took the fox's wrist, checking his pulse.  No doubt, Bishop would make a great nurse – maybe even a doctor.

Barely any time had passed at all before Queen came skidding back, large care guide in hand.  Nikko hadn't even looked at the book in forever, but he was glad he had kept it.  His hands shook as he dialed the emergency number, and then held the phone to his ear.

A chipper voice answered, greeting with her name as well as the company's, assuring Nikko he had reached the right number.  Then she asked "How can I help you?"

"I-  M-My name is Nikko Krakowski," Nikko said, unsure of what information to give first.  "I live in Himbeergeist and I'm a teacher with your animal genetics program.  I-  My students and I found a student in a garbage dumpster.  He's really beat up and-  And his legs are broken."

"Okay," the operator said, voice calm and accompanied by the clicking of a keyboard.  Her professionalism helped put Nikko at ease, if even a little bit.  "First, if I can get your location, we'll send a facility ambulance to you."  So Nikko gave her the name of the street they were on and the two cross-streets on either side of the block, saying that they should aim for the convenience store.  Hopefully GPS could find the way.  Then the operator asked "Do you know the student you found?"

"No," Nikko answered.  "We've never met him before."

"How did you find him?"  Her keyboard clicked away as she gathered the information.

"One of my students, a dog, smelled him."

"And you've verified he's alive?"

"Yes, and we've done some basic first aid."

"All right."  Her voice was warm.  Nikko wondered if she were human or animal.  "Can you describe him for me?  We'll start looking into if any students have been reported missing."

"He's..."  Nikko glanced at the large male, his heart tugging.  "He's a fox.  I would guess a platinum fox, from the look of him, but his tail is tipped with black, so maybe he's a mix.  And he's really tall, maybe six-foot-five or so.  But his face is swollen and bruised and he hasn't woken up, so I can't really tell any other features."

"Okay," the operator said again.  "The ambulance is on its way and your facility's chief coordinator has been notified.  They may have some questions for you, if you have the time."

"Yeah," Nikko answered.  "Sure."

"Then, thank you very much for your assistance."

They hung up and Nikko took another deep breath, then turned to three pairs of anxious eyes.  "An ambulance is on the way.  Everything will be all right."

"Nikko..."  Knight sniffled, holding the tears back by a blink.  "Why did somebody throw their fox in the garbage?"

"I don't know," Nikko said, stepping to take Knight's hand.  "Any number of things could have happened."  Most of the scenarios in his head, however, were awful, so he kept them to himself.  Maybe the fox was out on his own and got mugged, the thieves dumping his body there.  Or maybe there was a car accident and the teacher panicked, and there would be a claim that the student ran away.  Maybe it was something far worse.  Either way, Nikko didn't want Knight up all night with nightmares, so he just squeezed his lover's hand and said "Let's just wait and see what we can find out."

Knight sniffled again as he nodded solemnly.  "Okay, Nikko..."

Then Nikko pulled away.  "I'm going to stand by the road and keep an eye out for the ambulance.  You guys stay here and watch over him, okay?"

"Yes, Nikko."

By the time Nikko reached the street, the calm he had found had crumbled.  He began to shake, mind and heart reeling from how quickly the night had turned from happy to something far more painful.  He didn't want to see that fear in his students' eyes ever again; he didn't want to see an animal covered in that much blood ever again.

He scrubbed his own tears away as he heard the ambulance's wail.


	58. His Majesty

 

 

 

Kit entered the room with flair, buttoning up his suit jacket like he had only just gotten dressed.  He acted like everyone should be absolutely dazzled that he had gotten out of bed for this.

Nikko wasn't impressed.

A nurse-rabbit had tended to most of the mysterious fox's wounds, bandaging any cuts and administering medicine for the swelling and bruises.  His legs had been left as they were, though, which sent Nikko's anxiety alight.  Shouldn't they take care of that first?  Would his legs heal wrong if they weren't set properly as soon as possible?  Nikko was no doctor, though, so he kept his thoughts to himself, his leg bouncing with nervous impatience.

He jumped out of his chair when Kit entered the hospital room and said "Kit, thank you for coming."  He may not have trusted the new Chief Coordinator, but he would play polite.

"Where is he?" Kit asked, sounding bored or annoyed.  He didn't need to wait for an answer, though, since the hospital bed was right there.  The patient had been changed into a hospital gown and covered with a sheet, and was still unconscious.  Kit moved closer to the bed, causing Bishop to skitter away from where he had been sitting, and peered at the sleeping fox's face.  "Looks gross."

"We believe he's about three years old," the attending nurse said.  She checked over the chart in her hands.  "Platinum fox mix; a little large for his breed.  His injuries indicate physical abuse, and there are older bruises as well as new, so it's likely been going on for a while.  His legs are the worst, probably done with a hammer or a baseball bat, though the right one may have been from a bad fall down a staircase."

Nikko gritted his teeth at the same time he heard Knight whimper.  So the fox had been hurt on purpose; probably by his teacher.  It was the absolute worst scenario Nikko could have ever imagined.

"Looks like somebody's getting sued."  Kit smiled, then moved to the foot of the bed and lifted the sheet to look at the legs.  Then a sneer curled his lip as he jerked back a bit.  He dropped the sheet, and then simply said "Destroy him."

"What!?  No!" Nikko snapped without even thinking about it.  Even after he realized he had spoken up, however, he didn't back down.  "You can't just get rid of him.  That's...  That's cruel."

"Mr. Krakowski, have you seen his legs?"  Kit's cold, yellow eyes turned to Nikko.  "He may not ever be able to walk again.  We'll never be able to-"

Kit cut off, and the room went dead silent.  Part of Nikko wanted him to admit it – he wanted to hear Kit say out loud that the company was selling the students off, making a profit off of them.  Nikko wanted an honest confession, even if it hurt, even if he couldn't do anything about it.

But he wasn't supposed to know, so he couldn't call Kit out on it, even if he'd had the balls to.

Eventually, Kit amended to "We would never be able to find a teacher for him."

"He has so much potential," Nikko attempted to reason.  "Even if he were in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, the rest of him will be fine if treated properly, right?  So he could work here.  He could be a receptionist or an operator or _anything_.  Wouldn't it be a waste of what's already been invested in him to just throw him away?"

"That is hardly my concern," Kit snorted, the comment telling Nikko that either the company was making a ton of money on each student, enough that losing one was little concern, or that Kit was simply getting off on the power trip of being able to say whether someone lived or died.  "He could be brain damaged for all we know.  You want us to call in a surgeon, take up a hospital bed, spend the money for medicine and medical supplies, only to find out he's a vegetable?  That's a waste of resources."

Nikko's voice rose against his will, laced with anger.  He didn't try to stop it.  "You won't know the extent of his injuries unless you give him time to recover."

"It's pointless."

"You owe him a chance at life!"

"I owe him _nothing_!"

The world stopped.  A deathly silence embraced the room, everyone seeming to hold their breath while Nikko and Kit faced off.

And then finally, quietly, Nikko said "I'll be his teacher."

Kit's lip curled.  "You?"

"You said you're concerned about finding a teacher for him if he can't walk, right?  I'll be his teacher, so you don't need to worry about that."  So he couldn't use it as an excuse.

"You already have three students."  Kit seemed to be protesting, like he couldn't stand to have to override a decision.  Like changing his mind would mean he was wrong, and he couldn't bear that.

"There's no rule limiting how many students a teacher can take on," Nikko replied, his voice as icy cold as Kit's.  "I've read the guide well."  He left the 'have you?' unspoken.

"I-  I can't allow it," Kit stuttered, looking for further excuse.  "It would be pointless-"

"If he does turn out to be brain damaged, then I personally will cover the cost of his treatment.  I'll reimburse the company on my own, so you don't have to worry about being liable for the cost."

Kit's jaw set.  He gave a little snarl before finally saying "Fine.  It's all on you, then.  You will take full responsibility.  If he is not a pristine specimen in three months, it is going to cost you _everything_ you have."

" _Fine_."

Then Kit whirled on his heel, snapping "Call the surgeon!" at the nurse before storming out of the room.

A heartbeat passed, and then the nurse said "I hope he gets eaten by a dog."  Then she turned to Nikko, smiling sweet and grateful despite her vicious comment.  "I'll go call the surgeon," she said, then all but hopped out of the room.

As soon as they were left alone, Queen rushed to Nikko's side, clinging to his sleeve.  "Nikko, don't do dangerous things!"  He echoed Nikko's words from earlier in the evening, and there was a pout on his lips.  "I thought he was going to bite you!"

Nikko reached up to rub at Queen's ears.  "You guys would protect me," he smiled.  "Besides, that would be a huge liability for the company, and I'm sure Kit knows that."  Hopefully.  Then he looked up, giving everyone a glance in turn.  "Sorry I decided so suddenly, without asking any of you.  I just...  I couldn't..."

"Don't be sorry," Knight said, smiling softly.  "It's because Nikko loves animals so much, right?  And we want to help him too."

"Three months isn't much time, though, given the extent of his injuries," Bishop added quietly.

A 'pristine specimen' in three months...  Hopefully Kit would forget that part, or at the very least, consider being able to function relatively normally in a wheelchair as 'pristine'.  He doubted Kit would be so forgiving, though.  And that was if they could avoid the worst-case scenario – that the fox really was brain-damaged.  If the abuser was willing to take a bat to his legs, they may have gone for the head as well.  If their intent was to kill outright, it was very likely, especially given how bruised the fox's face was.

"Well, if worse comes to worse," Nikko said slowly.  "You're going to have to win a lot more video game tournaments."

Bishop's head went down, brow furrowed, and his eyes slowly traveled over the unconscious fox's face.

 

 

 

 

"Rita, I'm really sorry to do this," Nikko said into his phone.  It was an appropriate time to call his school's principal and it had to be done, even if it set his nerves on fire.  "One of my nephews was in a really bad accident and is in the hospital.  I need to be here for him and..."  He stopped when he ran out of things to say.

"Oh, okay," Rita replied, cool as always.  "We'll call a sub to take care of your class."

"Thank you.  I promise I'll be back by tomorrow."

There was a smile in Rita's voice as she answered "You take as much time as you need, Nikko.  Just keep us updated."

"Thanks," Nikko said again, softer this time.

They had been at the facility all night, stuck in a waiting room for hours.  Nikko fell asleep in a chair at one point, with Knight dozing against him and Queen passed out against Knight.  Bishop slept on Nikko's other shoulder, the whole family resting fitfully until the nurse came in at some ungodly hour to inform them that the surgery had been completed.

According to the nurse, the fox's legs were both in casts, and she gave a long lecture of instructions on how to take care of them at home.  The right leg had been cleaned, set, and fixed with metal rods, and the wound where the bone had broken through skin had been treated for infection.  The left leg had the pieces of bone put back together and everything held in place with metal pins.  However, she couldn't say for sure if he would ever be able to walk normally again or not.

"That depends on him and his recovery," she said.  "But the first-aid you administered helped a lot, so his chances are good."  She smiled, but then it faded.  "Unfortunately, he hasn't woken up yet.  You're welcome to stay here until he does, or you're free to go home, but..."

"But?" Nikko prompted.

"Since you haven't signed a contract yet, you're still not officially his teacher.  So if you leave and he wakes up, we won't call you."

Nikko had zero doubt if that happened, Kit would use the opportunity to have the fox destroyed, cost of surgery be damned.  He seemed bent on exercising his power to have someone killed, and Nikko would do whatever he could to prevent that.  "I'll stay," he said.

"All right," the nurse replied, giving them a smile.  She had been there all night as well – she looked exhausted.  "He's in room four if you want to see him."

Nikko thanked her profusely before she left, and then he sighed.  "If you guys want to go home and get some sleep, it's okay," he said to his students.  "I need to be here."

None of them moved.  "We want to stay with Nikko," Knight said softly.  "And with our new brother."  The words made Nikko want to crawl into Knight's arms, kiss his beautiful face, and then sleep for a hundred years.

Instead, he smiled.  "Okay.  Then, let's go see him."

They found room four, went in, and found the fox still fast asleep.  His legs were in thin, protective casts, and were elevated, but overall he looked better already.  Even the swelling in his face had gone down a bit, and his hair had been washed, shining pure silver.

Taking chairs around the bed, they began a vigil, talking quietly, sometimes sleeping, always keeping an eye out for some sign of life from the unconscious fox.  Around seven in the morning, Nikko called in to work, and though he promised to be back the following day, if the fox didn't wake up, he wouldn't be able to keep that promise.

Hours later, Kit came into the hospital room, looking refreshed and well-rested.  It struck an angry chord with Nikko that the coordinator had actually gone back to bed after everything that had happened, while so many others stayed up to work.  Hopefully that poor nurse got paid more than Kit did, if they even got paid at all.

"Good morning, Mr. Krakowski," Kit greeted, professional face in place.  "I hope you were able to get some rest."

Nikko held back a sneer, keeping it at a simple "A bit."

"I have your contract all in order as well as some other information, so once it's all signed and done, you can be on your way."

"Ar- Aren't we going to wait for him to wake up?"

"Why would we do that?" Kit questioned with a raised brow.  "That could take all day, and I have things to do."  Then his lip pulled up into a smirk.  "Or it may not happen at all."

"Don't we need to ask his permission for me to become his teacher?"

"That's ridiculous.  Why would we do that?"

Nikko was taken aback.  He had thought that was standard.  "That's what Jack-"

"I am not _Jack_!"  Kit snapped so suddenly, it make Nikko's heart stop for a moment.  "You are not dealing with that _privileged_ bunny anymore.  You are dealing with _me_.  _I'm_ the chief now.  And I want this done and over with."

Nikko didn't like it, but he didn't argue.  It beat the alternative.  "All right; then let's do it."  At least now he knew which button not to push with Kit.

"Great," Kit said, slipping back into business mode.  "Let's take this to an office."

"Okay."  Nikko nodded and stood, then looked to his students.  "You guys stay here.  I'll be right back."

Queen jumped to his feet.  "I'll go with you!"  He really didn't trust Kit not to bite Nikko, it seemed.

"I want to go too," Knight said, also standing.

"Knight, if you could-" Nikko started, but then stopped himself.  Somebody needed to stay with the sleeping fox, but Knight looked like he might burst into tears if he couldn’t be there to protect Nikko from the big, bad Kit.  So he relented.  "Okay, you guys can come.  Bishop, if you could stay here?"

Bishop nodded, content to stay where it was quiet.

They went to a room much like the one where Nikko first met Knight, then Bishop.  This room's fake potted plant was in a different corner, though.  "I got information about the student," Kit said once they were seated at the small desk.  "He was from a different province, though his teacher never reported him missing.  We had his coordinator call the teacher to verify the student's whereabouts, and only then did the teacher claim the student had run away."

"I see..." was all Nikko said.

"Of course, given our doctor's own observations, we find the claim very suspect, and will be pursuing legal action."  Kit sounded very pleased about that, like nothing made him happier than destroying someone's life.  Though, in this case, Nikko didn't disagree with the sentiment.  "You may or may not be called in to testify, but we'll try to avoid it.  Do you have any questions?"

Nikko wanted to ask how a student could have ended up in the care of someone who would ultimately abuse him, but it was becoming very clear that different coordinators simply had different styles of screening teachers.  Some, like Jack, were more careful about the process, while others must have been a bit lazier about it.  Some may have been more focused on making sales, and would want to push the students through the learning part as quickly as possible in order to make a sale.

Even more, Nikko wanted to not be talking to Kit, so he left it at "No, it's okay."

Kit's smile pulled up, though it was far from pleasant.  "Then, here is the information we have on the student, including his health records and study history."  Kit slid a file over to Nikko, like the one he had gotten with Queen, followed by a familiar piece of paper, setting a pen down on top of it.  "And here is the contract.  You can go ahead and sign it, then be on your way."

Nikko nodded and slid the contract closer.  "Just give me a moment to read it."

"It's the same as all the others."

"Mm."  Nikko nodded again, then began reading anyway.

Kit made an annoyed sound as he leaned back in his chair, but was otherwise silent for a bit.  Nikko read the new contract more carefully than he had ever read anything before, not putting it beyond Kit to slip in something that would end up with the student destroyed and Nikko broke in one fell swoop.

"How old are you?" Kit asked suddenly, and Nikko looked up to find the coordinator staring directly at Knight.

Nikko grabbed the pen to keep his hand from shaking – to ground himself.  If Kit realized...  If it was brought to his attention just how old Knight was, there was no doubt he would start pushing for graduation, and if the incident with Ruka was any indication, there would be nothing Nikko could do to stop it.

He wanted to leave.  He wanted to grab his students – all _four_ of them – and run away right that instant.

"I'm five," Knight answered smoothly, and Nikko exhaled his held breath.

"Is that so?" Kit said.  "You seem older."

"Thank you."  Knight gave a cheerful smile.  "I study very hard, and Nikko is a good teacher."

" _Really_?  He never just throws you in a cage and leaves you there?"

"No..."  Knight's smile fell.  "Why would he do that?"

"Why indeed?" was Kit's only reply.  Then he turned back to Nikko.  "Are you finished?"

Nikko answered "Yes, but may I ask a question?"

"You may."

Because of course there was something extra hidden in there.  "Where it says the student must be in 'pristine' condition..."  That same word had been used.  "What qualifies as 'pristine'?"

"It simply means he must be normal, in the condition he was when he first left his original facility."

Nikko gripped the pen harder.  This wasn't fair.  "Okay, but three months isn't much time to recover from injuries of that extent.  If we could just have a little bit more time..."

"If you don't want to sign the contract, nobody is forcing you to."  Kit grinned, unpleasant.  "We can both be on our way."

" _No_."  Then Nikko brought the pen down onto the contract, stabbing it harder than he had meant to.  After a pause and a breath, he signed his name and possibly his life away.

"Fantastic," Kit said as he pulled the contract away and looked it over.  "Now if you could just give him a name, we'll be finished here."

"I...  What did his previous teacher call him?"

"There is no official name on record.  His previous coordinator must have been lazy about the details, but I am not.  Call him whatever you like, but do it now."

Jack would have allowed him time to talk to the student about it, but Nikko didn't dare bring that up, instead just saying "Some time to think abou-"

"Mr. Krakowski-"

" _King_!" Nikko blurted out.  "We'll call him King."

Kit's eyebrow rose.  "A little pretentious..." he muttered as he jotted the name down in the appropriate box on the contract.  "Then, I believe we're all done for today.  I'll have your copy of the contract brought to you in the hospital wing, assuming you'll be around for a bit?"

"Yeah, that's fine," Nikko replied.  He had wanted to stay on Kit's good side, or under his radar completely, but it was too late for that now.  Still, civil professionalism was probably best – as well as he could manage, anyway.  "When can we take the student home?"

"You can work that out with the doctor," Kit answered.  Then he stood up, taking the contract with him.  "Then, thank you for your continued assistance."  He said it like he was reciting from a script, and barely gave a smile before exiting the room.

Nikko breathed, Knight whimpered, and Queen said outright "I don't like him."

"I miss Jack," Knight added with a pout.

"Me too," Nikko said.  "I honestly don't know how things are going to go from now on, but we need to be careful."

They had to find their own way back to the hospital wing of the facility, and when they got there Nikko found a nurse on duty – a different nurse than before, and Nikko hoped the other girl was sleeping peacefully – and inquired about when the new student could leave.  She said as soon as he woke up, the doctor would speak with him for a final evaluation, and they could leave after that.  She promised they would be home by dinner.

Nikko thanked her, but in the back of his mind he knew it also depended greatly on the fox's mental condition.  Since the idea that the poor student may have brain damage had been implanted in his mind, Nikko couldn't help but be absolutely terrified.  If the fox couldn’t be treated – if he wasn't 'pristine' – Nikko really would lose everything.  He could never afford to pay for what the surgery must have cost.

He took a deep breath as the trio headed back towards the hospital room, and put a hand to his chest to hold his heart together.

When they opened the door, they saw Bishop sitting perfectly still, staring wide-eyed at the mysterious fox, whose head had turned away from the door.  Nikko rushed over to Bishop's side, asking "What's wrong?  Did something happen?"

The fox's eyes were open, deep silver staring fixed right back at Bishop.

Then Bishop quietly whispered "He's awake."


	59. The Importance of Solitude

 

 

 

He had lost his solitude again.

Of course, the new member of their household couldn't share a room with Knight and Nikko, and Queen protested the idea of sharing, because "What if Gus comes over?"  And Nikko seemed to think that was a good point, so with a creased brow and a hesitant voice, he began to consider out loud converting the garage into a bedroom.

Bishop himself made the offer.  "I can share... my room..."

"Are-  Are you sure?" Nikko asked.

"It would be expensive to make the garage into a bedroom, right?"

"Yeah, but..."

"I don't mind."  Or, he would try not to, for Nikko.

"Bishop..."  Nikko's voice was soft, and then he smiled.  "Thank you.  Is it all right with King?"

The bedridden fox smiled a smile that made his eyes close.  "I would be honored to share.  Thank you."

That King seemed to be gentle and _gallant_ helped the issue quite a bit.  Bishop thought he wouldn't have any problems sharing with the platinum fox.

After King had woken up, the doctor was quickly called and evaluated him thoroughly.  Not only was King _not_ brain damaged, he was expected to make a full recovery in time.  Nikko breathed a heavy sigh of relief at that, but the unease at just how limited that 'in time' was still loomed over them.  But the doctor was kind – he even remembered Bishop from when he got his glasses – and assured them he would do everything he could to help.  The doctor leant a wheelchair and a blanket, and said King could be signed out and taken home whenever they were ready.

As soon as the doctor left them, Nikko sat by King's side, and words poured out of him.  He explained what had happened, how they had found King in a garbage dump – to which King just gave a sad smile – and had gotten him help.  He explained that King was permanently removed from the care of his previous teacher, and that he would be King's new teacher, if that was all right.  King nodded and _apologized_ for the trouble he had caused, which seemed to make Nikko's voice catch in his throat.

Then Nikko introduced everyone.  He left out his relationship with Knight, though it would have to get addressed eventually.  Bishop got the feeling it wouldn't be an issue – King really didn't seem to have a spiteful bone in his body, his tail already curling lightly as each member of his new family was introduced.

"You didn't have a name on file," Nikko said next.  "So we decided on 'King'.  Uh...  We kind of have a name theme going on.  But if you want to be called something else, it's totally okay.  We'll call you whatever you want."

King smiled.  "I like it.  Now you have a Queen and a King."

Queen stared at him a moment, and then said "Don't get any weird ideas.  I already have a mate."

King just laughed.  He had a lovely, manly deep voice that Bishop liked hearing.  His rich voice had a rich laugh, and the timbre of it made Bishop feel... strange.  Good.  "Doug-  My previous teacher never got around to giving me an official name," King said.  "At first he always called me 'Buddy' or 'Big Guy', but...  That changed when he started drinking."  He stopped at that, and Nikko didn't ask anything else even though Bishop saw a pain flash through his eyes.

It was silent for a tick, until Knight said "Nikko is very strict about studying, so be prepared to work hard!"

"I'm not strict," Nikko replied.

"Oh?"  King's smile picked up.  "A slave-driver, huh?  I'll do my best."

"I'm not!"

Bishop felt something tug at his lip; he wondered if it was a smile.

 

 

 

 

Getting King home was difficult, to say the least.  His bloody, dumpster-dirty clothes had been thrown out, and he didn't have anything else.  He kept the hospital gown on and the donated blanket over his lap, plus Knight's coat over his shoulders, but the late autumn chill was setting in, and despite King's assurances he was okay, he must have been at least a little chilly.

Wheeling him to the bus stop was fine, and the bus driver was well-trained to help disabled passengers, but once they reached their house, they didn't know what to do with him.  He needed to keep his legs immobile, so after deciding he would share a room with Bishop, they agreed it would be best to just put him in Bishop's bed for the time being, until they got a second bed for the room.  However, putting him in bed was easier said than done.  King's size was somewhere in between Knight and Gus, and he was heavy.  It took two strong orderlies to get him into the chair at the hospital – getting him out of it ended up with the platinum fox crying out in pain for the first time, and Knight in tears because he wasn't strong enough on his own.  It was a team effort, but they did eventually get King in bed, and Nikko lamented that he may be stuck there until he was a bit more healed.

Then Nikko shut the bedroom door so that he and Knight could talk to King privately.  Bishop didn't know what was said for sure, but when they came out, they were both smiling, sporting twin looks of relief.  Knight hummed happily as he headed to the kitchen to make dinner, while Nikko climbed the stairs to their bedroom.

Queen had lain down for his pre-dinner nap, the house fell silent, and for a moment Bishop just stood in the living room, wondering what he should do.  And after standing, and standing, his hand lifted towards his mouth.  His tongue came out, but just as he was about to start mindlessly lapping at himself, he stopped.

That was a dog habit; he shouldn't do that.

So he let his hand drop and, after a moment of thought, headed towards his room.  Or rather, his _and King_ 's room.  He knocked lightly on the door, which was odd because it was _his_ door, but for some reason he felt like he needed to.  When no response came, he went in silently.

King was sleeping.  It looked like a more restful sleep, different than the comatose state he was in before.  His breathing was deeper – stronger – and his mouth fell into a frown.  He whimpered, brow creasing with fitful dreams.

Bishop's eyes slowly turned away, and then he pulled his social studies workbook from the bookshelf and left the room.

Knight had decided King shouldn't have to eat dinner alone, so he pulled a chair into the bedroom, and Nikko joined him.  This had Queen pulling in a chair as well, and after several moments of Bishop sitting awkwardly at the dining table alone, Knight came back out to pull him into the bedroom as well.  It was their first family dinner together with King, all crammed into the small room, but somehow the close proximity to everyone didn't bother Bishop.  This was his family – he was safer than ever.

Knight asked King about his hobbies; Nikko asked about his studies; Queen asked if he had a mate.  All of King's answers were 'used to's – he _used to_ enjoy running and playing sports; he _used to_ study a subject a day with his teacher's supervision; he didn't have a mate, but they _used to_ go to picnics, so he had friends at one point.  No one asked exactly what had happened to him to give him all the 'used to's.  It must have been sad.

But then Queen managed to turn the conversation around, whether it was on purpose or not.  He flailed the arm not holding his plate, saying "Hey, let's talk about me now!  Ask me questions!"

And King laughed.  "All right.  What's your mate like?"

"That is a very good question!" Queen said, and then he launched into a non-stop lecture about all of Gus's good points, great points, and adorable points.

After a week, they had settled into a routine.  Knight usually served King breakfast, sitting in and chatting with him while they ate, and Queen did the same for lunch.  Bishop took him his dinner and, after a bit of hesitation, also sat in with him.  But Bishop wasn't good at being social and chatting like the others were, so the first few nights were spent with them sitting silently.  Eventually, though, King quietly said a gentle "I apologize for invading your space.  If you wish for me to leave, I'll ask to be returned once my legs are healed."

It shocked Bishop, made something inside him hurt.  The hand holding a spoonful of stew lowered slowly, and he stared at his bowl.  "I...  I don't mind."  He didn't know how to express what he felt, that he just wanted King to be safe and happy.  In the end, he simply said "Please stay."

"Nikko told me you don't like to be touched, so I promise I'll keep my distance."

Bishop's brows drew together, and then he nodded.

 

 

 

 

A bed had been delivered on the second day, and it became Bishop's bed, since King was unable to be moved from where he was.  Knight happily took on nursing duties, giving King a sponge bath every few days and helping him with bathroom needs, all while continuing to cook for everyone and keep up with his own studies.  Nikko cautioned Knight not to overdo it, but Knight seemed happy to be busy, like he gained even more energy than he usually had by being helpful.  Bishop admired him all the more for it, and quietly took it upon himself to help clean up more, taking over many of Knight's chores without notice.

King twitched a lot in his sleep.  He whimpered too.  A few times Bishop was woken at night by the sound of King's frightened voice, fighting off demons in sleep that he didn't talk about during the day.  But Bishop didn't know what to do for King; he didn't know how to help.  Nightmares weren't covered in any of the medical books he read.

But it felt good and soothing when Nikko pet his ears, so maybe...

The next time Bishop awoke in the middle of the night to King's whimpers and the rustling of his bed sheets, he quietly slipped on his glasses, climbed out of bed, and padded over to the head of King's bed.  Then slowly – ever so slowly – he reached out and put a hand on King's ears, petting and rubbing them.  The effect was almost instantaneous; the crease in King's brow eased, his whimpers faded away, and his whole body seemed to settle down into a newfound peace.  Bishop felt something like relief as he looked down at King's face.

King was what humans would call 'handsome'.  In the novels Bishop sometimes read, they would use a word like 'chiseled' to describe the way King's jaw was cut, and his eyes would be called 'downturned', or perhaps 'droopy'.  His smile was wide, his lips full, and with a curious tilt of his head, Bishop realized King looked like the complete opposite of Nikko.

King's personality, on the other hand, was the complete opposite of Queen's.  King never complained about his lot in life or what had befallen him; he never spoke poorly of his previous teacher, only ever looking sad when the man he had spent the past two years with was mentioned.  If King was at all unhappy with his present situation, he never said anything, and it never really occurred to Bishop that King might have something to complain _about_ until Queen came into their room one evening during dinner to offer seconds, only to say "It's so _quiet_ in here.  Don't you guys talk?"

Bishop didn't respond.  A frown tugged at his lips.  He was supposed to be keeping King company, but he really hadn't said much all this time.  He wasn't used to chatting, didn't know what to chat about.  He wondered if King was upset or irritated that he got stuck with someone like Bishop, instead of another fox, like Knight or Queen.

But King just smiled his closed-eye smile.  "Actually, it's nice to have quiet sometimes."

Queen shrugged.  "Suit yourself.  I'll bring you the rest of the meatballs."

When Queen left, Bishop fidgeted.  "If...  If you want to chat more, I...  I can try."

King chuckled.  "I meant what I said.  Knight talks to me all day, and Queen does too, then Nikko comes home and talks to me as well.  It's nice, and I like talking with them, but...  Quiet companionship is nice too.  There's less pressure."

"I- I'm sorry..." Bishop said anyway.

"I like your presence," King replied simply, smiling softly.  Then he stretched.  "Though it would be nice to get out of this room and get some fresh air sometime."

Bishop reported to Nikko, and the household worked together to figure out how to get the oversized fox back into the wheelchair.  King's legs were less delicate by now, having had some time to heal, and he was able to slide himself to the edge of the bed, and then down into the chair.  Knight helped with his legs, until King was settled nicely, and then Knight cheerfully steered the chair out of the room, beginning a grand tour.

"Upstairs is mine and Nikko's room!  I'll show you later, when you can go up."  Knight's tail curled happily as he rounded into the kitchen.  Bishop trailed several steps behind.  "Our study charts are here, on the fridge.  Mine is yellow!  And Bishop's is purple, and the pink one is Queen's."  Knight pointed to each colored chart in turn.  "When King's books come, you can pick any color you want for your chart."

King smiled.  "I like blue."

"And these are my speakers so I can listen to music!  Does King like music?"

"I don't really understand it yet," King answered, seemingly amused by Knight's excitement.

When they got to the sliding doors and went outside, King took a deep breath of the clean, chill air.  His head tilted back, gaze going up, and he seemed content to stay like that for a while, until Knight said "It's a bit too cold to stay out here for long, though.  At least this time of year."

"If it's all right..." King said quietly.  "I'd like to stay for a little bit."

Knight was still for a moment, and then asked "Even though it's cold?"

King turned to look at him, and Bishop saw him smile in profile.  "I don't mind."

"Okay..."  And Knight – who took everything at face value and didn't know about King's nightly nightmares – silently slipped away.

Bishop stood for a moment, then went to the couch and grabbed the blanket lying over the back.  He took it to King, moving to stand in front of him, offering the blanket.  "If... you get cold..."

"Thank you."  Then King lifted his hands, allowing Bishop to hand over the blanket at his own pace.  Then, before Bishop retreated, King raised a finger and pointed it to the sky.  "What star is that?"

Bishop blinked.

"Sorry.  I saw you had a lot of astronomy books, so I figured you would know."

Slowly, Bishop turned and looked up.  "That's Polaris, in the Ursa Minor constellation, about three-hundred-twenty-three light-years away."

"It's very bright."

"Yes, it's actually multiple stars in one, a pair together orbiting around a third."

King's eyes _almost_ closed in smile.  "I knew you knew."  And when Bishop looked away, King chuckled.  "How about those ones?"

Bishop sat on the ground next to the wheelchair as he began to tell King about Mizar and Alcor.

He may have lost his solitude, but perhaps Bishop had gained a friend.

 

 

 

 

Getting King into the wheelchair had been relatively easy; getting him back into bed was not.  The bed was higher than the chair, so while going down was simply a controlled fall into the wheelchair, getting up onto the bed required King to be lifted, and King just didn't have the strength to do it without using his legs.  Knight tried to help, but when King cringed and held back a pained yelp through gritted teeth, Nikko called for them to stop.

"It's okay," King said, taking deep breaths.  "I can take it."

Nikko shook his head.  "No, I don't...  I don't want to risk further damage to your legs."  He hadn't told King about the deal he had made with Kit.

"I'm sorry, Nikko."  Knight had tears in his eyes.  "I can't lift him."

"Don't be sorry," Nikko said as he pet Knight's arm.  "We'll just call someone who can."

It only took half a second for Queen to perk up and go running for his phone.

Gus was greeted with an armful of pink fox, Queen latching on to him like a spider monkey, legs wrapped around Gus's waist and arms around his neck.  The household had to wait a full five minutes for the pair to finish greeting each other.  The scent of their arousal already began to trickle in, putting Bishop on edge, but it stayed at a low simmer as Queen pulled Gus in to introduce him to King.

Between Knight and Gus, King was easily hoisted and settled back onto his bed, legs safe and undisturbed.

There were no nightmares that night.

Knight had his speakers on in the morning.  He was probably dancing again, which Bishop always found very cute yet bewildering.  He didn't understand how Knight knew when to bob or swish or step.  But it made Knight smile, so Bishop put up with the constant sound that came with the scent of eggs and sausage.

And something else...

Another scent joined the breakfast aroma, something sweet and heady.  It seeped like low-lying smoke, curdling through the house, making Bishop's body go tense.  His fingers held tight to the pencil in his hand, though his writing stopped the moment he heard Queen giggle.

Then he heard Queen moan.

Bishop dropped his pencil, hands flying to his face to cover his nose.  It didn't do any good, though.  The scent assaulted him, overwhelming, making his mind fade and his genital harden.  He needed to mate.  He needed to press into something and release his seed.  His fingers began to slide along the floor, up the couch, over the cushions, searching, looking for something.  He needed a body – anything would do.  He needed something or someone to breed with, as his instincts were screaming at him to do.

He latched on to a pillow left behind on the couch and began dragging it toward him, but then he stopped.  His body froze.

He couldn't do it here.  It was private; if he did it here, Nikko would be upset.  He had to go to his room.  So he pulled away from the couch, crawling on hands and knees towards his bedroom, erection throbbing and painful.  The scent came stronger, hotter and feverish, and then another scent joined it, coming from Bishop's own room.

King.

That was right.  Bishop's room wasn't his own anymore; it was no longer private.  King was in there, and Bishop had nowhere to go.  So he sat back, pressing a hand to his groin, and that felt good too.  His hips pushed against his hand, desperately seeking gratification, but he _couldn't_.  It wasn't allowed here – he had to stop himself.

He panted a heavy breath, and then forced his hips to stop moving.  But his human mind was leaving him fast.  He could barely think.  A loud, pained whimper escaped him.

Someone called his name.  Two voices came, laced with concern, and then he was lifted off the ground, enveloped by the scent he loved the most.  "Bishop," that scent said.  "You can go upstairs for now, okay?"

He was carried, ascending, each step drawing another whimper from him as his body continued to burn and throb.  When he was placed on a bed that overflowed with that scent, he reached for the warm body that had carried him.  His arms slid around a trim waist, his groin pressed against a slender hip.  He moved automatically, grinding against that warmth, pushing and pushing into it, panting, only to whimper again when it moved away.

Something soft pressed into his arms.  It smelled like _that scent_ , so Bishop latched onto it, shoving it between his legs.  His mind was blank and his body moved on its own; he felt cool air around his hips and immense pleasure spread through his body.

He felt release, relief.  His hips continued to move as his orgasm flowed through him, into the plush body beneath him, and only when he had nothing more to give did his thrusting finally slow.

His mind cleared, like waking up, and he sat back.  He was in Knight's room, on Knight's bed.  He had yanked his pants down in his haze, and it was Knight's pillow folded under him, wrapped around his genital.

He had done something he shouldn't have.  And though Knight would undoubtedly forgive him, it didn't stop the new feeling that tore through Bishop – embarrassment.

He collapsed to the bed, making no move to leave the room.

He wanted to be alone for a while.


End file.
